Strawberry Executive Prioritized Data Over AI Models
Kari Anna Fiskvik argues that clean data architecture is essential for successful AI scaling in the travel industry.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Strawberry executive Kari Anna Fiskvik has urged travel companies to focus on robust data architecture rather than just model development. She contends that clean, real-time data is the fundamental driver for effective AI decision-making.
Why it matters
Fragmented data remains the primary obstacle for scaling AI operations across the travel sector. Executives view AI as a force multiplier that only functions properly when supported by reliable internal architecture.
Following a 2021 ransomware attack by the Conti group, Strawberry successfully restored its systems within 4 days. This incident highlights the critical need for resilient data architecture in the travel sector.
The players
Kari Anna Fiskvik
She is an executive at Strawberry who advocates for data-centric strategies in the travel industry.
Strawberry
This is a hospitality company that maintains internal architecture for data management and AI integration.
Conti
This is a known ransomware group that carried out an attack on Strawberry systems in 2021.
The company recently launched agentic hotel booking in AI Mode within the United States market.
Villa Copenhagen
This hotel group utilizes an AI concierge named Vivi to assist with guest booking inquiries.
The details
Strawberry utilizes internal integration systems to manage data movement and inform AI models, which generate responses for booking inquiries. Villa Copenhagen currently employs an AI concierge named Vivi to handle guest interactions, demonstrating how structured data serves as the foundation for modern hotel operations.
Timeline
Strawberry systems were compromised by the Conti ransomware group in 2021.
Kari Anna Fiskvik will speak at the Skift Data + AI Summit Europe on October 6, 2026.
Roadmap
The push toward data-centric AI follows the recent launch of Google's agentic hotel booking in AI Mode. This pivot suggests that hotel groups are moving away from dependency on external platforms to maintain control over their own guest data architectures.
Travelers should expect more personalized and efficient booking experiences as hotel groups adopt agentic AI tools. However, smaller hotel groups may face significant challenges in digital discoverability as the industry increasingly relies on advanced data integration.
The takeaway
Travel providers that prioritize data cleanliness will likely outperform those relying solely on off-the-shelf AI models. Companies should invest in internal infrastructure to ensure their AI agents provide accurate and actionable guest responses.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in Artificial Intelligence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Skift.
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