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Why AI struggles to convey luxury

Generative AI is amazing, isn’t it? Within seconds, you can have a passable chunk of content, with little to no effort. Prompt. Cut. Paste. Insert name. And there you have it: website copy, done. For hotel and hospitality brands this is extra tempting. After all, it’s only words – the pictures really convey the experience, right?

Out in the wild, this is actually happening. Some brands are turning to AI to capture the ‘luxury’ experience and that’s creating a big problem: true luxury is human, empathetic, intuitive and individual, whereas, AI (unless deployed with huge skill) is often very literal.

AI and luxury sector copywriting

Ask an AI engine to “Write me the intro to a website for a luxury [location] hotel. I want it to capture the indulgent nature of the hotel and sound extra special.” The result sounds like this:

“Step into a world where elegance meets unparalleled luxury. Nestled in the heart of [location’s] most prestigious district, [Hotel Name] invites you to indulge in an experience like no other. With its rich history, sophisticated charm, and refined service, our hotel promises an oasis of calm and grandeur amid the vibrant pulse of [location].”

OK. That’s Ronseal luxury. It says the word ‘luxury’, ‘sophisticated’, ‘refined’ – so it must be pretty luxurious?

And this literal approach is clearly being used by many brands, leading to a cookie cutter approach to writing. For example, check out this recent Google search:

Generative AI is amazing, isn’t it? Within seconds, you can have a passable chunk of content, with little to no effort. Prompt. Cut. Paste. Insert name. And there you have it: website copy, done. For hotel and hospitality brands this is extra tempting. After all, it’s only words – the pictures really convey the experience, right?

Out in the wild, this is actually happening. Some brands are turning to AI to capture the ‘luxury’ experience and that’s creating a big problem: true luxury is human, empathetic, intuitive and individual, whereas, AI (unless deployed with huge skill) is often very literal.

AI and luxury sector copywriting

Ask an AI engine to “Write me the intro to a website for a luxury [location] hotel. I want it to capture the indulgent nature of the hotel and sound extra special.” The result sounds like this:

“Step into a world where elegance meets unparalleled luxury. Nestled in the heart of [location’s] most prestigious district, [Hotel Name] invites you to indulge in an experience like no other. With its rich history, sophisticated charm, and refined service, our hotel promises an oasis of calm and grandeur amid the vibrant pulse of [location].”

OK. That’s Ronseal luxury. It says the word ‘luxury’, ‘sophisticated’, ‘refined’ – so it must be pretty luxurious?

And this literal approach is clearly being used by many brands, leading to a cookie cutter approach to writing. For example, check out this recent Google search: