Too good to be true? The AI danger lurking in your next holiday booking

You might want to look closer at those glossy accommodation photos the next time you're planning a getaway.

A new wave of artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into the travel industry, and the internet is awash with stories of unsuspecting holidaymakers turning up to find their pristine rental is actually dark, dirty or completely non-existent.

Would you recognise an AI-generated image in an online booking? We've gathered advice from experts to help you avoid being duped.

Dr Mike Seymour, an expert in AI technology and visual effects from the University of Sydney Business School, says it has become "incredibly easy" to mislead customers.

AI can make a room look bigger, brighter or more luxurious than it really is.

"Sometimes these are fully fake images. Sometimes they are images taken from somewhere else," Seymour told Explore.

"Sometimes they are real images that have been heavily altered. The result is the same: the customer is given a misleading impression of what they are booking."

Though it's difficult to quantify how widespread the problem is, Seymour says faking images is now "trivial" thanks to user-friendly AI tools built into everyday software like Photoshop.

"You do not need to be a visual effects artist. You do not even need to be particularly clever," Seymour says.

If the image looks too good to be true, it probably is. Seymour suggests being wary if every photo looks like a flawless magazine shoot.

"Real rooms usually have some variation. They have awkward corners, different lighting conditions, signs of use, and sometimes slightly imperfect details," he says.

Dr T.J. Thomson, associate professor and Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow at RMIT, says AI detection services are often "hit-and-miss" and recommends relying on critical thinking and brand reputation.

"Consider aspects such as how long the room or space has been listed for and whether there is a history of verified reviews," Thomson says.

"Be aware that reviews can sometimes be manipulated or created by bots so, again, the reputation of the brand matters sometimes more than other credibility signals, such as the number of reviews or the length a place has been listed."

Users can also run an image through a reverse-image search to see if it's been used elsewhere on the web, he says.

McAfee's head of Asia Pacific and Japan, Tyler McGee, warns AI images can often signal a financial scam.

Recent McAfee research found one in 10 Australian travellers had seen manipulated or misleading accommodation listings.

"Further, the prevalence of AI-assisted deception is likely to increase because AI enables scammers and bad actors to create polished websites, listings, images, and communications much faster and at greater scale," McGee told Explore.

Airbnb will ask hosts to remove content if AI or other digital technology has been used to edit flaws, hide damage, add amenities or attributes that are not part of a listing, or otherwise materially misrepresent the listing.

Guests who come across listings with misleading content or photos are encouraged to report them at airbnb.com.au/help/article/3598

Expedia Group states that content cannot use generative AI to mislead, misrepresent, or misconstrue the property to drive bookings.

If an Expedia traveller thinks the property they booked was misrepresented in the listing, they should contact the Expedia support team at expedia.com.au/lp/b/getintouch

Booking.com prohibits deceptive or AI-generated images that misrepresent a property. They monitor listings and remove properties that violate these rules.

If a customer spots a listing they suspect is misleading, they can contact the customer service team at booking.com/customer-service