Ascott collaborates with Accenture to heavily invest in AI agents to seize a leading position | Lianhe Zaobao

CapLand Ascott, the hospitality business under CapLand Investment, announced that it will heavily invest in artificial intelligence-ready (AI-ready) infrastructure to gain a leading position in the era of agentic commerce. Ascott issued a statement on Thursday (April 23) announcing that it has reached three strategic partnerships with consulting firm Accenture, travel technology company Amadeus, and EHL Hospitality Business School to promote AI transformation from three aspects: digital architecture, distribution systems, and talent capabilities. The company's CEO Eric Wu pointed out that AI has helped the company make substantial progress in business and operations, and greater opportunities will arise in the future. Ascott will not passively wait for agentic AI to evolve in the travel industry but will actively build infrastructure and shape its development direction. Ascott has over 1,000 hotel assets in more than 230 cities worldwide, including 14 brands. This AI layout covers workflow restructuring, ways to reach customers, and employee capability building. Building the Next Generation AI Travel Ecosystem Infrastructure Ascott is collaborating with Accenture to build the infrastructure needed for the next generation of AI travel ecosystems, embedding responsible AI and data privacy principles into the design. This foundational layer will enable seamless connections between core systems, including central reservation systems, property management systems, customer relationship management, and membership platforms. Further Reading Chen Shushan: Enterprise-level autonomous AI applications must have strict safety barriers [Optimistic about the travel industry, Ascott added a record 7,300 units in Southeast Asia last year ![](https://dss0.zbstatic5.com/s3fs-public/styles/article_small_crop/public/articles/2026/04/20/Ascott20Tay20Ho20HanoiFacade.jpg? In the future, the architecture will support the company in deploying standardized intelligent agents in different scenarios, helping customers independently compare options, plan itineraries, and complete bookings. In terms of the distribution system, Ascott has introduced a central reservation system developed by Amadeus, which helps accelerate product launch speed, unify pricing logic, and improve the efficiency of new products entering the market, thereby achieving more precise customer matching and recommendations. At the same time, Ascott will extend its AI transformation to talent development. The company collaborates with EHL through its global brand academy to develop training programs, cultivating internally certified instructors to provide skills and tool support for the team. This will enhance operational efficiency, freeing employees from scattered tasks to focus on high-value customer interactions. Eric Wu emphasized that talent remains important in the AI era. "AI can empower operations, but only humans can transform a stay into an unforgettable experience through judgment; this balance will continue to guide our investments and operations." Before investing in agent-based AI, Ascott already had a certain foundation of AI capabilities. The company has continuously introduced AI in areas such as customer consulting, marketing, revenue management, membership, and sales, reshaping business processes