Artificial Intelligence in the Hospitality Industry: A Review of Research Trends on Customer Experience, Operational Efficiency, and Ethical Issues

Purpose: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force in the hospitality industry, reshaping service delivery, operational management, and ethical governance. As AI-based technologies, such as chatbots, service robots, and algorithm-driven decision-support systems, are increasingly adopted, hospitality organizations face both opportunities for efficiency and personalization, as well as challenges related to trust, labor, and ethical responsibility. Despite a rapidly growing body of literature, existing studies remain fragmented, often focusing on isolated applications or outcomes. Method: The purpose of this study is to systematically review recent research on the utilization of artificia l intelligence (AI) in the hospitality industry and to analyze it across three key dimensions: customer experience, operational and managerial efficiency, and ethical and social issues. A structured literature review approach was employed to synthesize recent academic studies and identify major research themes and future research directions. Portions of this manuscript were developed with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence; however, all content was critically reviewed and finalized by the authors to ensure academic rigor and integrity. Results: The review reveals three dominant research streams in hospitality AI studies. First, AI-based services enhance service accessibility, responsiveness, and personalization, positively affecting customer experience. Second, AI contributes to operational efficiency through demand forecasting, pricing, and decision support. However, these benefits are accompanied by workforce-related challenges. Third, ethical issues such as privacy protectio n and algorithmic transparency have gained increasing attention. Conclusion: This study argues that the sustainable adoption of AI in hospitality depends on balancing technological efficiency with human-centered service values and ethical accountability. By providing an integrative overview of existing research, this review contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of AI-driven transformation in the hospitality industry and offers directions for future research and the responsible implementatio n of AI.