In this episode, Chris Kluis, VP of Product Operations & Data at Actabl, discusses his family's unique history with artificial intelligence, how early curiosity sparked his career journey, and why experimentation matters more than theory. Chris provides practical advice for hospitality professionals looking to start leveraging AI today, shares lessons from implementing AI at scale, and explores how digitization, effective prompting, and careful data management can unlock real business value.

We cover:

• 0:00 – Intro
• 01:35 – How it started: Chris’s family history with AI
• 07:33 – What is AI? Definition and how it works
• 09:54 – Use case: AI for advertising
• 11:58 – Starting with personal AI use cases
• 13:43 – Encouraging curiosity and learning
• 14:57 – Personalized podcasts with NotebookLM
• 16:21 – AI podcasts replacing humans?
• 17:21 – Trust and AI
• 19:08 – Importance of “Human in the loop”
• 20:22 – HITEC 2025: AI in hotel tech today
• 23:21 – Can AI expand opportunities?
• 25:36 – Hoteliers: Start by digitizing workflows
• 29:13 – “Treat AI like a new employee”
• 33:17 – Higher-order thinking and AI
• 35:51 – Building repeatable AI systems
• 36:56 – ChatGPT vs Gemini vs other LLMs
• 39:56 – What makes a good AI prompt?
• 41:26 – Juxtaposition of new vs old
• 44:21 – Skills to develop to stay relevant
• 46:18 – Personal and professional next steps
• 49:03 – Voice-powered AI
• 50:50 – Corporate AI policies
• 51:58 – Where Chris learns about AI
• 54:26 – How AI will shape life and work

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Ryan Bukstein shares what he's learned about the power of mentorship: both being mentored and mentoring others.

Resources:

• Podcast: The Problem with Men (Scott Galloway)
• Big Brothers, Big Sisters

If you or someone you know is struggling, get help:

• SAMHSA’s National Helpline
• The 988 Lifeline

Hear other episodes with Ryan here:

• Ace Hotel’s Early Days: Punk Spirit and Hospitality Innovation
• The Art of Turning Curiosity into Brand Equity: Lessons from Ace Hotel to Vacation & Beyond

Learn more about Ryan's firm, SMPL, here.

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Ryan Bukstein shares the behind-the-scenes process of how brands like Ace Hotel and Vacation were built, showing how curiosity, experimentation, and unexpected collaborations drove their groundbreaking approaches. Ryan reveals how Ace Hotel thrived by challenging industry norms, embracing cultural programming, and forging authentic partnerships, like its notable collaboration with Converse. He illustrates how these same principles allowed Vacation to redefine sunscreen as a playful, nostalgic experience. This conversation offers a rare look into the strategic creativity, ecosystem leveraging, and relationship-building that made these brands resonate deeply within their communities and industries.

Learn more about Ryan's firm, SMPL, here.

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands