Future Narrative #3 - Algorithmic Adventures
This week we join the McDonald family on their family holiday in Thailand in 2040. This narrative came from a Data and Design Lab that took place at the University of Edinburgh at the end of 2021. It was our first Travel Tech Futures workshop and it was undertaken in a hybrid way, marking the emergence from pandemic lockdowns with forward thinking about the return to travel. We worked with 50 participants from Scotland and abroad, all with interests in technology and travel. We used the three horizons approach to come up with the future of travel in 2030 in 2040 and in 2050. In this story, themes of algorithmic optimisation to maximise in-person experiences and quality time are an intriguing potential for future travel.
Illustrated by Cat OâNeil and written by MĂĄire Ryan.
Algorithmic Adventures - Illustrated by Cat OâNeill
âAs sheets of rain cascade over Khao San Road, the main drag of Bangkok, the McDonald elders peer out politely from under the shelter of a convenience store.â
Dadâa quiet soul who will always make sure you walk through the door firstâbegins to outwardly fret about blocking crowd flow to the business. Mumâslightly more direct due to being one of seven childrenâassures him that no one is after fruit and veg in a downpour like this. They fall quiet, comfortably so. The McDonalds have long since developed away from the need for constant chatter; they both luxuriate in the opportunity to absorb their surroundings. Although operating a broadly comfortable existence at home in Scotland, Mum and Dad have always prioritised travel as a core component of their family values. No wonder their youngest went straight across the world when she graduated.
Instinctively, their hivemind returns to their daughterâSophieâwho any minute now is due to rock up to the area. Sheâs been away for more than a year. Mum and Dad have flown over: to check on their girl, to enjoy an adventure, and to make sure Sophie is eating well. Not necessarily in that order. The whole family thrives through structure, and their reunion is coupled with a visit to a temple which was selected because it encompassed Dadâs predilection for serenity; Mumâs intellectual curiousness for alternative religiosities; Sophieâs love of discovery. Only the McDonalds didnât choose it.
With her usual haphazard, wildly alive energy, Sophie bursts across the street and is immediately enveloped in the otter pile of her parents. Their joy is so exuberant that it threatens to knock over a stand. Laughing, gathering themselves, the parents survey the child (and vice versa; Sophie notes the beginning of sunburn blushing at her fatherâs temples and makes a note to ply him with sun cream once the torrent subsides). Dad perceives Sophie as taller. Thatâs good. Mum glories in the healthy tan her daughter has taken on; Sophie has clearly spent a great deal of time outdoors. Like clockwork, potentially sensing that the appraisals could be endless, the McDonaldsâ individualised AI Assistants politely remind them that itâs time to go. Dad fudges the temple name (Wat Bowonniwet Vihara), cuing more laughter from the collective. The rain stops: is it magic, or did the Assistants use meteorological data to chivvy them at exactly the right moment?
The temple is, by no means, a spur-of-the-moment entry on the itinerary. Rather, the McDonalds are actively pursuing a plan which has been formulated for them with the utmost attention to preference. All three will throw their hands up and admit they couldnât have reached agreement on their own, how could they? Sophie describes herself as a âtrailheadâ, she spends all her free time in Thailand getting lost in thickets, climbing waterfalls, dodging scooters on hairpin bends. Mumâwho works remotely in academiaâhungers for cultural exploration, and would happily stare at every artefact in every museum for hours, if her kids wouldnât whine. Then thereâs Dad. Dad is a foodie. His heart lies in cuisineâfrom five-star spectaculars to tantalisingly fresh street cartsâhe loves flavour. Heâs also on whatâs referred to as an âanytime sabbaticalâ, and has mostly spent his freedom Googling bizarre combinations of salt, acid, and fat to see what sticks.
As the reunion plan began to take shape, the McDonalds had to quickly accept that they would need divine intervention in formulating a fit-for-purpose itinerary. This is where the AI Assistantâa modern marvel which all clan members had recently begun dabbling with in their separate endeavoursâstepped in. Weaving intricate algorithms per person, the software mapped preferences against local attractions. The party number provided a perfect rule-of-three: each day offered ample time marvelling at Thailandâs verdant beauty, scheduled a dive into a museum, and culminated in culinary delight at a certified must-visit eatery. Organised and adapted depending on traffic, weather andâespecially for the hikesâoptimal light quality, thanks to AI which understands the individual, and negotiates on the part of the collective.
Aside from assembling the perfect trip, reactive to changes and deeply thoughtful to each partyâs interests, the Assistants also vet tour guides, finding the perfect match for the McDonaldsâ varying needs. Even better, each Assistant offers state-of-the-art, immediate translation services: the tour guide is able to express information from the heart, and translation reaches the group in lightning-quick speed.
Yet, in the midst of this well-orchestrated journey, the McDonalds crave spontaneity. Thailand does not disappoint. A surprise rainbow during their hike, a street vendor's unplanned musical performance, a local's recommendation leading them to a hidden spot â these moments become highlights. The pride Mum and Dad feel, watching their youngest confidently navigate a new world. Moments that no AI could predict. Moments that are invited in the spaces residing within a perfectly pitched itinerary.
At the journey's end, the McDonalds realise a profound truth. While technology played its part in crafting seamless experiences, it was the unpredictableâthe moments untouched by algorithmsâthat truly defined their adventure. The trip became a perfect blend of the modern world's conveniences, the sweetness of familial togetherness, and the timeless charm of unplanned discoveries.â
Provocation Questions
Weâd love to hear your thoughts on this story. Here are some questions that we hope might provoke some interesting discussion. Feel free to add your comments below!
What boundaries do you feel are important to draw around algorithmic travel itinerary optimisation and human planning?
How did this story make you feel - what excites you about it, and what, if anything, worries you?
Is this story a plausible future by 2030? Does the AI revolution mean we could do this now?
Watch our discussion about âAlgorithmic Adventures â
We hosted a 30-minute discussion about this story with the Barry Pickard from Tailor-Made Itineraries. Together we explored the current and future potential of AI in creating travel itineraries for families. Enjoy!