If you have ever tried to book a hotel online and found yourself unsettled by the AI chatbot trying to help you, science has your back. A new study from Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences confirms that hotel booking chatbots are genuinely creeping people out, and it is actually hurting bookings.
What Is Giving Hotel Chatbots Their Creep Factor?
Researchers surveyed 340 adults in the UK who had used chatbots to book hotels and found three main culprits behind the ick factor: inaccuracy, deceptive behavior, and intrusiveness. Inaccuracy was by far the biggest offender, triggering a negative response more than four times stronger than the other flaws.
It results in quoting incorrect rates for the rooms, bungled cancellation policies, or questions that just get dodged entirely. That discomfort is not just a vibe. It cut users’ willingness to keep chatting with the bot by nearly 38% and nearly doubled the chances they would delay or ditch the booking altogether.
Researchers also flagged something called the “uncanny valley” effect, where a chatbot’s failures feel even creepier the harder it tries to sound human. Lead researcher Babak Taheri summed it up perfectly, saying that when a human-like system fails to actually behave like one, it triggers something deeper than disappointment in users.
There Is a Simple Fix That Hotels Mostly Ignore
The good news is that the researchers found a simple solution that most hotels are not using. When a chatbot declares it’s an AI, users are far more forgiving of its mistakes. A simple opener like “Hi, I am your AI assistant” goes a long way.
Researchers also recommend making it easier to reach a real human for complex queries and invest in upgrading the AI itself so it can actually handle the basics without fumbling.
The Broader Context: AI in Travel Booking
This research lands at a fascinating moment, because AI travel booking is the hottest thing in tech right now. Google recently added AI trip planning to Search, and Uber just launched hotel booking through Expedia inside its app. The hospitality industry is rapidly adopting conversational AI to streamline bookings, but many implementations are rushed and poorly designed.
The uncanny valley concept, first proposed by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970, explains that as artificial entities become more human-like, they provoke empathy until a point where they become eerily repulsive. In chatbots, this effect is amplified when the system uses human names, friendly emojis, or colloquial language but then fails to understand basic requests or provides contradictory information.
For example, a chatbot that says “I’d be happy to help you with your reservation, dear guest!” but then cannot correctly apply a discount code or misquotes the check-in time can create a deeply unsettling experience. Users feel manipulated or tricked, which erodes trust in the brand.
The study also highlighted that deceptive behavior—such as pretending to be human or overpromising capabilities—was a major turnoff. Some chatbots use profile pictures and names like “Sarah” to seem more human, but when they cannot answer a simple question, the deception backfires.
Why Inaccuracy Is the Biggest Problem
Inaccuracy accounted for the strongest negative emotional response, more than four times that of intrusiveness or deception. This makes intuitive sense: if a chatbot gets basic facts wrong—like room rates, availability, or cancellation policies—it completely defeats the purpose of using it. Users end up having to double-check everything, wasting time and increasing frustration.
The researchers noted that even small errors, such as misspelling a hotel name or mixing up dates, can trigger the uncanny valley response. The chatbot’s attempt to sound helpful becomes a reminder that it is not actually intelligent, just a script with limited capabilities.
The impact on business is significant: the study found that users were 38% less likely to continue using the chatbot after experiencing inaccuracies, and nearly twice as likely to abandon the booking entirely. For hotels relying on chatbots to handle high volumes of inquiries, this translates directly to lost revenue.
Intrusiveness and Deceptive Behavior
Intrusiveness refers to chatbots that ask for too much personal information upfront or that push upsells aggressively. For instance, a chatbot might immediately ask for the user’s phone number or request access to their location without a clear reason. This feels invasive and reduces willingness to engage.
Deceptive behavior includes not being transparent about being an AI, pretending to understand when it doesn’t, or using manipulative language to steer users toward certain decisions. The study found that when users realized they were interacting with a bot that was hiding its nature, their negative reaction was especially strong.
The Simple Solution: Disclosure and Human Escalation
The researchers emphasize that the fix is straightforward: chatbots should clearly announce that they are AI from the first interaction. This sets appropriate expectations and makes users more forgiving of mistakes. They also recommend providing an easy path to a human agent for complex issues, and investing in better natural language processing to reduce errors.
Many hotels currently treat chatbots as cost-cutting tools, but the study shows that a poorly designed bot can be worse than no bot at all. Users who have a negative experience with a chatbot are less likely to book through that hotel’s website again, and may even leave negative reviews.
The findings align with broader research on human-computer interaction, which shows that transparency builds trust. When a system is upfront about its limitations, users are more patient and willing to work around them.
What Hotels Should Do Now
First, audit existing chatbots for common errors: test them with real-world scenarios like changing a reservation date or applying a promotion. Second, remove any deceptive elements such as fictitious human names or profile pictures. Third, implement a clear AI disclosure at the start of every conversation. Fourth, ensure that users can escalate to a human with a single click or request. Fifth, continuously train the AI on new data to improve accuracy.
The study also suggests that hotels should not rely solely on chatbots for high-stakes transactions. Complex bookings, group reservations, or requests involving special needs should be routed to humans immediately. Chatbots are best suited for simple FAQs and preliminary inquiries.
As AI technology matures, these issues will likely diminish, but for now, hoteliers need to be aware that a creepy chatbot can do more harm than good. The uncanny valley is real, and it has a direct impact on the bottom line.
By following the researchers’ simple recommendations—disclose, be accurate, and offer human backup—hotels can turn chatbots from a liability into an asset. The key is to remember that users are not fooled by fake human warmth; they prefer a clear, honest, and efficient interaction, even if it comes from a machine.
Source: Digital Trends News