The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and service robots in the tourism industry for frontline service automation is generating a growing interest. Although there is a fairly large body of literature about this research field, the impacts on the service encounter need to be further investigated. The paper presents an action research project that led to employ the humanoid robot “Pepper”, equipped with a supervised machine-learning AI system, at the reception of an Italian hotel to provide information to clients. This allowed to explore the role played by this agent and the effects on the changing role taken by frontline employees (FLE) and customers. Findings show that this technology can act as an augmentation force and that FLEs’ role can evolve mainly into that of enabler - of the customers and of technology -, innovator and coordinator, while customers may take above all the role of enabler of the technology. The study also contributes to introduce the new role of “AI supervisor” among FLEs.

旅游业在前线服务自动化中采用人工智能 (AI) 和服务机器人正在引起越来越多的兴趣。尽管有大量关于该研究领域的文献，但需要进一步研究其对服务遭遇的影响。该论文提出了一个行动研究项目，该项目导致在一家意大利酒店的接待处使用配备有监督机器学习 AI 系统的人形机器人“Pepper”为客户提供信息。这允许探索该代理所扮演的角色以及对一线员工 (FLE) 和客户所扮演的角色变化的影响。调查结果表明，这项技术可以作为一种增强力量，而 FLE 的角色可以主要演变为推动者——客户和技术的推动者——创新者和协调者，而客户可能首先扮演技术推动者的角色。该研究还有助于在 FLE 中引入“人工智能主管”的新角色。