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Summit County’s tourism economy may rely on artificial intelligence in the near future.
In a panel discussion as part of Fortune Brainstorm Tech, the AI- and tech-focused conference held at Montage Deer Valley this week, key executives representing Marriott International and Gensler, a global architecture firm, said the two companies have already partnered to streamline the design process and guest experience using new technologies.
Jordan Goldstein, Gensler’s co-chief executive officer, explained AI lets designers pitch, create and showcase ideas without needing to spend the time and money to build mockups. It also helps architects write narrative stories in pitch materials, allowing them to fully draw on the power of emotion early in the design process.
Artificial intelligence additionally makes it easier for architects to collaborate with clients, Goldstein said. Instead of providing a client with an initial draft, receiving feedback and adjusting the blueprint over a few weeks, the firm and client can use AI to make changes to a design with everyone in the room, fast-tracking the amount of time needed for revisions.
Marriott International’s Senior Vice President of Global Design, Kristen Conry, said artificial intelligence will also help with the overall guest experience in the hospitality industry. Essentially, as hotels implement AI to lower the amount of time employees spend on data entry, the more time employees will be able to dedicate to assistance and face-to-face interactions with guests.
However, Conry made it clear she doesn’t believe AI will ever fully replace human interaction. The goal of the technology is to free up time for employees and make their jobs easier so they can spend more time helping guests, not to eliminate human workers.
Conry specifically said she viewed the technology as a way to better communicate between guests and hotel staff, allowing employees to “find the right balance” of engagement and interaction while still meeting everyone’s needs.
Conry also said it’s possible that as AI becomes more advanced, hotels will be able to implement artificial intelligence in hotel rooms to provide more personalized experiences to visitors.
Summit County, particularly Park City, is reliant on tourism to its ski resorts and other outdoor recreational opportunities to fund its economy. Despite the focus on tourism, though, Park City has experienced a decrease in transient room taxes — taxes specifically earned through hotel stays and nightly rentals — since last year.
In June alone, the city saw a 21.7% decrease, or $37,050, in the amount of revenue earned compared to June 2024. Year-to-date, Park City has had a 2.4%, or $110,369, decrease in 2025.
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