ABSTRACT This study explores the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in chatbots and personalization on resource optimization in the tourism and hospitality industry, with a focus on the mediating role of demand forecasting and the moderating effect of customer tech savviness. In this research, a quantitative method was used to examine how AI improves service quality through faster, 24/7, and tailored experiences, while shifting employee roles toward higher‐value and human‐centric tasks. Data was collected from managers, employees, and customers in the tourism and hospitality industry of Oman. A total of 260 data was collected through purposive sampling. Moreover, the gathered data were analyzed using reliability and validity tests, hypothesis testing, descriptive analysis, and regression analysis by SmartPLS and SPSS software. The results indicate that AI‐driven chatbots and personalization significantly contribute to resource optimization by improving service delivery and reducing operational costs. Furthermore, demand forecasting was found to mediate the relationship between AI applications and resource optimization, while customer tech savviness moderated the effectiveness of AI technologies, with tech‐savvy customers demonstrating more favorable interactions with AI systems. The findings of this study have practical implications for both academics and practitioners in the tourism and hospitality industry. For academics, the study provides a quantitative basis for understanding the factors driving operational efficiency. For practitioners, the insights can inform the implementation of AI‐driven technologies to enhance resource optimization and customer satisfaction.
Kumar et al. (Fri,) studied this question.