Jet.AI this week launched the CharterGPT app, which it says will harness artificial intelligence to allow consumers to use voice commands to interact with its charter booking platform. According to the Las Vegas-based software group, its use of natural language processing will make it quicker for both passengers and aircraft operators to convey information back and forth without involving a broker as the “human in the loop.”
The CharterGPT app is due for release via the Apple app store in the next few days, with the Android release to follow in a few weeks. Jet.AI plans to release an update in the fall that will support Stripe payments for flights and automatic contract reconciliation, as well as provide information on ground transportation options and airport information.
The aircraft availability data is sourced from the Avinode platform, which generates estimates for requested flights. After interrogating the app over possible flight options, the user can select one or more of these with the app and then make contact with operators to confirm pricing, which is then conveyed back to the user in the app on its checkout page. Jet.AI takes a commission on any flights booked through the app.
“Unlike a human operator, CharterGPT is always available, always patient and the amount of knowledge it can produce about private aviation is limitless,” Jet.AI founder Mike Winston told AIN. “We believe that by automating the outreach process to operators, we have a good chance of improving pricing discovery without paying a big cost to do it.”
According to Jet.AI, many charter operators ignore inbound quotes from the Avinode platform, mainly because they don’t have sufficient staffing levels to deal with multiple requests—and perhaps also because they view some as frivolous or originated by rival operators trying to game the system. Winston told AIN that out of, say, 500 quote requests fielded in a day, only 20 might get a response from an operator.
In his view, establishing a direct connection with the prospective charter client via an AI-enabled app with the capacity to engage meaningfully will provide a stronger sense of “relationship and outreach,” especially with repeat users, as the app can build a profile of their travel preferences and needs. At any time, users can connect right away with a human customer service representative.
According to Jet.AI, CharterGPT’s knowledge of key elements of the charter market (i.e. aircraft, operators, and geography) is based on Wikipedia. Winston said its software team has trained the AI element of the system “not to go off on tangents” when responding to clients. The company has further recalibrated the system’s “personality” after encountering some glitches during beta testing.
“CharterGPT is the first step in private aviation in this direction [AI and natural language processing], and the more bookings it does, the smarter it will become,” Winston said. “It is hard to believe that someone has really automated what we associate with people being able to do. We’re just trying to get better utilization [of charter services] so there will always be human outreach [when a flight request is made].”
Jet.AI believes the app will make the charter booking process between 10 to 50 percent more efficient, mainly in terms of the volume of flight requests that generate a real quote. The payment process via Stripe will involve an additional step in the app to take clients to a separate secure website, in part to avoid prohibitive 30 percent charges that would otherwise be applied via the Apple store.
The Jet.AI Operator platform has been developed by its software division to support Part 135 charter operators. The group’s aviation division markets fractional shares in aircraft, jet cards, management services, and brokerage support for buyers.
On August 4, the company’s planned business combination with Oxbridge Acquisition Corp. is set to progress when an extraordinary general meeting of the latter’s shareholders, who are expected to vote on the proposal. The merger is expected to lead to an initial public offering that Jet.AI said would give access to a $40 million equity line.
AIN tried the CharterGPT app to prepare for a trip for two passengers from Guildford in the UK to Montpellier in France. In response to a voice request, the app quickly proposed flights out of Farnborough, Blackbushe, or Biggin Hill airports, proposing 14 different jet options. After seeking lower pricing by adding turboprop aircraft as an option, the app proposed a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft and a provisional quote came back around 15 minutes later.
The provisional quote gave some information about the PC-12 offered, mentioning features such as a coffee pot, enclosed lavatory, ice bin, leather seats, and a 110V power outlet. Seating capacity was shown as up to six passengers, with pets permitted.
However, the quote provided no information about the operator, beyond stating that they held an Argus Platinum safety and quality audit. No further information was offered without having to accept the quote to re-confirm the aircraft's availability, at which point a contract and payment details would be sent via email. Pricing for this European trip was shown in U.S. dollars and excluded local taxes and fees.