Qatar Airways Introduces World’s First AI Digital Human Cabin Crew at ITB Berlin

Qatar Airways broke new ground at the recent ITB Berlin 2024 trade show with the launch of its holographic virtual cabin crew, Sama 2.0.

The national carrier of the State of Qatar is the world’s first airline to develop the Artificial Intelligence powered digital human cabin crew to assist its passengers in designing curated travel experiences.

Sama, meaning “sky” in Arabic, took center stage at the new Qatar Airways stand during ITB Berlin and interacted with visitors and media.

“Sama 2.0 represents our relentless pursuit of innovation, and embodies Qatar Airways’ values of exceptional service and hospitality,” Qatar Airways Vice President Marketing, Babar Rahman, said.

Sama 2.0 is ready to answer questions in real time such as Qatar Airways FAQs, destinations, support tips and more, and will be accessible through QVerse, Qatar Airways’ immersive digital platform, as well as through the Qatar Airways app.

“This is a monumental point in spearheading the successful synergy between technology and human connection – not only for Qatar Airways, but also for the industry at large,” Rahman said.

According to Qatar Airways, enabled by conversational AI, Sama will continue to learn and develop over time to improve responses through passenger interactions.

Sama is developed by Qatar Airways in partnership with UneeQ, a leader in AI digital human technology. Their collaboration aims to enhance the digital travel experience and set new standards in the aviation industry.

“Qatar Airways affirms its commitment to leading and collaborating with innovation experts to create pioneering products and services for its customers,” Rahman added.

Qatar Airways recently also unveiled its Generative AI experience for hassle-free and personalised travel planning at the Web Summit Qatar. The experience utilises comprehensive visual interactions and an interactive 3D map to understand customers’ travel preferences, thereby eliminating the need for manual searches. Customers can thus seamlessly receive suggestions for their journeys across Qatar Airways’ network of over 170 destinations.