Artificial intelligence and employment in the hospitality sector: an analysis of the determining factors in the digital age

This research is based on an empirical analysis of the determinants for job-level employment in hotels. The study takes data from 60 hotels in the Porto and Northern Portugal region, to conduct an empirical analysis based on a sample of 1560 observations, using a Tobit model. It considers how the various types of Artificial Intelligence (AI)—mechanical, thinking and feeling—influence employment. The research reveals that employment in hotels is positively influenced by internal characteristics such as the presence of female employees and having an own brand, as well as by worker-related factors such as professional experience and specialised training in tourism. The use of the various types of intelligence also has a positive impact on employment across various hotel jobs. The results demonstrate the coexistence of the three types of intelligence in the hotel jobs and a greater marginal effect on employment in roles that require emotional intelligence. This study is novel as in addition to traditional variables, it also considers AI as a determinant of employment in hotels. Furthermore, it analyses employment in a disaggregated manner across different hotel jobs, taking into account the intelligence associated with the tasks of each role and the current use of AI.