I had an exchange this week with a Florence expert that really grounded me.
She tested an Italy planning tool I’ve been building and told me honestly that she couldn’t support it — not because it didn’t work, but because if AI tools ever became too accurate, several of her friends who work as local guides could lose their jobs.
She reminded me that lived experience matters.
That not everything is searchable.
That real guidance comes from people who’ve spent years on the ground.
I shared that my intention isn’t to replace local experts. If anything, I hope tools like this help more travelers appreciate the value of human advice — not bypass it.
Just wanted to share this here because it reinforced something important: AI should support the people who make travel meaningful, not compete with them.