Qatar Airways Showcases New Features of World’s First AI Virtual Digital Human Cabin Crew

Qatar Airways presented its second-generation virtual cabin crew, Sama 2.0, powered by innovative conversational AI

The holographic reveal continues to draw crowds at the world’s leading travel trade show, ITB Berlin 2024

Berlin, Germany – The national carrier of the State of Qatar has broken new ground at ITB Berlin 2024 with the successful launch of its holographic virtual cabin crew, Sama 2.0. Qatar Airways is the world’s first airline to develop the Artificial Intelligence powered digital human cabin crew to assist its passengers in designing curated travel experiences.

Sama, meaning ‘sky’ in Arabic, has taken centre stage at the new Qatar Airways stand during ITB Berlin. The biggest travel and tourism trade event saw the revolutionary showcase of Sama, who continues to interact with both visitors and media alike. Enabled by industry-leading conversational AI, she will continue to learn and develop over time to improve responses through passenger interactions.

Sama 2.0 is ready to answer questions in real time such as Qatar Airways FAQs, destinations, support tips and more, and will be accessible through QVerse, Qatar Airways’ immersive digital platform, as well as through the Qatar Airways app.

Sama is developed by Qatar Airways in partnership with UneeQ, a leader in AI digital human technology. This collaboration between Qatar Airways and UneeQ harnesses UneeQ’s innovative platform to enhance the digital travel experience and sets new standards in the aviation industry. The one-of-a-kind cabin crew is also poised to create benchmarks for personalised and functional service interactions in air travel.

Qatar Airways Vice President Marketing, Babar Rahman, said: “Sama 2.0 represents our relentless pursuit of innovation, and embodies Qatar Airways’ values of exceptional service and hospitality. This is a monumental point in spearheading the successful synergy between technology and human connection – not only for Qatar Airways, but also for the industry at large. Qatar Airways affirms its commitment to leading and collaborating with innovation experts to create pioneering products and services for its customers.”

UneeQ Chief Executive Officer, Danny Tomsett, said: “Sama embodies UneeQ's commitment to blending technology with empathy and personalisation, providing an innovative solution that aligns with Qatar Airways’ reputation for world-class service. She's a testament to the endless possibilities of AI, capable of delivering personalised and engaging interactions that mirror human conversation.”

Owing to its marked success in introducing and implementing the latest technologies to enhance passenger experiences, Qatar Airways has been continually lauded for its innovative efforts, with the latest recognition received from the World Travel Tech Awards for the World’s Best Airline Website.

Qatar Airways recently also unveiled its Generative AI experience for hassle-free and personalised travel planning at the Web Summit Qatar. The experience utilises comprehensive visual interactions and an interactive 3D map to understand customers' travel preferences, thereby eliminating the need for manual searches. Customers can thus seamlessly receive suggestions for their dream journeys across Qatar Airways’ network of over 170 destinations.

To interact with Sama 2.0 during ITB Berlin and discover Qatar Airways’ world of digital innovation, visit the new Qatar Airways exhibition pavilion 102, Hall 4.2, until 7 March 2024.