Tech Explained: IHG’s Technology Momentum Picks Up Pace as It Names AI Leader to Drive the Next Wave of Innovation | in Simple Terms

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG Hotels & Resorts) has been steadily ramping up its technology agenda in recent years, investing in initiatives that modernize operations, enhance guest experiences and unlock new efficiencies for owners. From deploying advanced mobile check-in and digital key capabilities to integrating more predictive analytics into revenue and distribution systems, IHG has made technology a cornerstone of its strategy as the hospitality industry evolves.

The company’s IHG One Rewards platform, for example, has become a focal point for personalization efforts, blending guest preferences, loyalty data and digital touchpoints across the booking funnel. Behind the scenes, IHG has expanded its use of cloud-native infrastructure, data lakes, and API-driven integrations with key partners to reduce technical debt and accelerate the delivery of new features. These efforts reflect an industry-wide shift toward technology architectures that support real-time experiences, operational agility and scalable innovation.

This ongoing digital transformation now enters a new phase with IHG’s appointment of global technology executive Wei Manfredi as senior vice president of AI and architecture, according to a company announcement on Tuesday. In this newly created role, Manfredi will steer IHG’s artificial intelligence strategy, strengthen its technical and data architecture, and cultivate strategic partnerships with leading technology organizations to ensure the company’s approach to AI is “innovative and grounded in operational excellence, as well as responsible and secure.”

Manfredi joins IHG with deep technology expertise and a strong background in franchise-driven enterprises. She most recently served as vice president of global architecture, data and generative AI at McDonald’s, where she contributed to broad AI adoption across a massive global footprint. Prior to that, she held leadership roles at Google Cloud, Lululemon and Visa, all of which are known for large, complex technology ecosystems and high standards for data governance and security.

For IHG, the creation of a senior executive position with explicit responsibility for AI and enterprise architecture signals a shift from tactical experimentation to strategic engineering. Rather than treating AI as a series of point solutions—chatbots here, recommendation engines there—the company is placing AI at the center of its operating model. The goal is to embed intelligence across core systems and functions, from property management and revenue optimization to guest engagement and workforce automation.

That ambition aligns with IHG’s broader technology investments. Recent years have seen enhancements to IHG’s proprietary revenue management tools, deeper integrations with cloud-native partners for data processing, and an increased focus on guest lifecycle management solutions that harness behavioral data. IHG’s loyalty ecosystem, too, has been enhanced with digital features designed to improve personalization, mobile interactions and cross-channel engagement.

In this context, Manfredi’s appointment is both timely and strategic: it brings seasoned leadership to an area of technology that converges data, architecture, governance and innovation. As hotels grapple with rising guest expectations, labor cost pressures and competitive digital offerings, AI becomes not just a differentiator but a scale lever.

The move also places IHG in the middle of a broader competitive landscape where major hotel groups are intensifying their AI commitments. Marriott International has been advancing AI-driven personalization and customer insights across its portfolio. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to explore AI to support franchise operations and dynamic pricing. Hyatt Hotels has emphasized embedding machine learning into its digital guest journey and internal operations. Across the industry, there’s a clear trend: leading brands are shifting from point use cases toward enterprise-wide AI strategies that touch multiple systems and workflows.

One of the key differences in this next wave of adoption is a focus on actionable and autonomous AI capabilities—systems that not only surface insights but also trigger actions, automate work, and continuously optimize decisions. Achieving this level of maturity requires robust technical foundations, disciplined data governance and integrated architecture.

For hotel owners and operators, the promise of AI goes beyond digital convenience. It touches operational consistency, staffing efficiency, demand forecasting, and revenue performance. As hoteliers confront tight labor markets and heightened consumer expectations for seamless, personalized stays, technology that can reduce friction and make smarter decisions in real time becomes a business imperative.

IHG’s statement emphasizes that the appointment reflects a commitment to “drive meaningful benefits for its owners, guests and teams.” While specific product plans tied to Manfredi’s role have not been unveiled, the strategic direction is clear: IHG is doubling down on technology leadership and positioning AI as a foundational capability rather than a supplementary enhancement.

As the company moves forward, the success of this strategy will hinge on aligning internal teams, franchise partners and technology ecosystems around a coherent architectural vision—one that enables rapid innovation while safeguarding security, privacy and operational continuity.

In an era where data is a hotel’s most valuable asset and AI is the engine that unlocks its potential, IHG’s elevation of AI and architecture to the executive suite reflects both the scale of the opportunity and the complexity of the challenge. How effectively the company executes on this vision will not only influence its competitive position but also serve as a bellwether for the industry’s broader transition toward AI-driven hospitality.

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