Anything fun should be easy, right? Not quite. For the world’s largest entertainment company, delivering fun to thousands of customers around the world round the clock is a complex operation. As Hard Rock’s André Gowens, VP of Enterprise Architecture and Software Engineering, reminds us, “Hard Rock is where people go to have fun.” But behind every effortless moment of fun is an integrated network of AI and AI-assisted technologies working tirelessly to make it all happen.
You Can’t Talk About AI Without Talking About Data
But as Gowens puts it, “You can’t talk about artificial intelligence without talking about data.” And when it comes to Hard Rock, there’s more to just having valid data. It’s about having all the right data — scattered across the globe — at the right time, in one place.” With a business born out of franchisees, acquisitions, and countless customer touchpoints, the company has, over the years, inherited fragmented systems: property management platforms, point-of-sale systems, casino management tools, CRMs, websites, mobile apps — you name it. Managing all these moving pieces isn’t just a tech challenge; it’s an opportunity to bring AI and data together to deliver “never want to leave” experiences.
In order to deliver good AI, “you need to have good data to drive customer personalization, great experiences, and offers for your customers. You need to have consolidated centralized data,” Gowens insists. “OZ Digital Consulting has helped us bring together the world of Hard Rock. We’ve connected literally tens of thousands of systems across different channels our customers use to interact with us and integrated that data,” he adds.
Previously, Hard Rock had pockets of customer data scattered across the globe. For example, someone might join the loyalty program at the Hard Rock Cafe in Miami, then visit the Hard Rock Guitar Hotel nearby and be told they needed to join a different program. With nine separate loyalty programs, the experience was fragmented. “Now, with the help of OZ Digital Consulting, we’ve integrated these systems into a centralized platform using a robust middleware integration. At a single casino, for instance, Hard Rock connects up to 5,000 slot machines to our unified customer platform,” Gowens says.
With a solid data foundation in place, hospitality and gaming companies such as Hard Rock can truly integrate AI into their ecosystems. And set the stage for innovation and operational excellence.
We spoke with André Gowens, VP of Enterprise Architecture and Software Engineering, at AI Future Summit, to learn more about how Hard Rock leverages AI in their operations. And hear his thoughts on AI’s role in moving the gaming and hospitality industry forward.
Here are the key takeaways from our conversation:
According to Gowens, “There are many different ways AI can be used in the hospitality industry. Hard Rock has at least 50+ AI solutions it deploys across the globe for all of its customers with another 25% implemented independently by our properties,” he says. From virtual assistants to advanced developer tools, these AI-powered solutions streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance guest satisfaction.
AI Voice Assistants
Speaking of call centers, Gowens believes they’re critical to Hard Rock’s infrastructure but they’re also expensive. “We have millions of people that are placed in phone calls to our call centers, and each of those calls costs anywhere from $4-$12. When you think about the millions of calls, that adds up, making it expensive.” Here’s where AI voice assistants come in. An AI voice assistant will answer your call, book your reservation, and save customers time as they don’t have to be on hold waiting for human assistance. “If the AI can’t resolve an issue, it seamlessly transfers the call to a human representative,” says Gowens.
AI-Driven Software Programming
For Hard Rock’s tech teams, OpenAI tools like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT have transformed development processes. “Our developers use GitHub Copilot to write code, create test cases, and even handle documentation,” Gowens notes. “One junior developer told me it’s like having a senior architect by his side 24/7. AI helps us boost productivity without overburdening our senior staff.”
[Read the whitepaper: 7 Proven Ways Microsoft AI Reduces Software Development Costs]
AI-Assisted Web Search
Think about it. When you go to Google and search for something, it answers with a bunch of links. You have to click the links and sift through them to find what’s pertinent to you — a process that takes you some time to get to the right information. But AI-assisted web search on the other hand, cuts that time by half.
Hard Rock is deploying AI-powered search tools across millions of its websites all over the world to provide customers with precise answers, faster.
“They crawl all of our websites, all public-facing information, and pull data from our own websites and answer questions accurately, eliminating irrelevant results. This ensures guests get the information they need quickly and reliably.” Unlike Google, which returns a list of links, our AI search solution acts like a chatbot,” Andre’ explains.
VIP Virtual Hosts
Another AI breakthrough the industry and Hard Rock are whole-heartedly embracing is VIP virtual hosts.
A VIP virtual host is a platform Hard Rock built to serve their most important customers. While some high-value guests get an actual human to be their VIP host, only some get a human host, as it’s not scalable. Instead, Hard Rock creates virtual hosts for dedicated customers who don’t quite qualify for a human host. “These hosts communicate via text, offering personalized recommendations, promotions, and 24/7 assistance. Think of it as a chatbot on steroids,” says Andre.
Hotel-Specific Chatbots
Hotel-specific chatbots are another trend that’s fast catching up. At Hard Rock, guests can use a QR code to access a virtual assistant via their mobile devices.
“These assistants handle everything from room service requests to spa bookings,” Gowens says. “By using natural language processing and property-specific data, they enhance the guest experience while reducing the need for direct staff interaction.”
So, if you were to go to the Hollywood Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, you could access a virtual assistant specific to that hotel.
Tap the QR code at the front desk or in your room, and bring up a virtual assistant on your text message app. You can request room service, get room maintenance, dining and spa recommendations to help you book reservations…anything you want. It uses natural language processing, AI, and Hard Rock data to help service the customer and give them a better experience while there.
AI isn’t just about cost savings; it’s about creating seamless, memorable experiences. From behind-the-scenes operations to front-facing guest services, Hard Rock is proving that AI deployment can elevate hospitality and gaming to new levels.
How will AI continue to transform the industry? According to Andre’, the possibilities are endless—and Hard Rock is just getting started.
Ready to Get Started with AI?
With over 25 years of experience in Microsoft solutions, OZ Digital Consulting can help you elevate guest experiences through AI strategy, successful AI integration, and implementation. Get in touch with our data and AI experts. In the meantime, take this quick assessment to explore where you are on your AI journey.
