makemytrip

As implementation of ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence more broadly ramps up, so too does concern about privacy and trust and calls for regulation.

In travel specifically, data protection is a critical issue for applications of this technology since frictionless, personalized shopping and booking will require AI to access travelers' preferences, payment sources and more.

As travel companies continue rapid testing and integration of generative AI, now is the time for industry stakeholders to give thoughtful consideration to how human-to-AI communication can be built with minimal risks.

Host Mitra Sorrells, editor in chief, PhocusWire explore these issues and potential solutions with the following speakers:

• Patrick Surry, chief data scientist at Hopper
• Trevor Butterworth, co-founder and vice president of governance at Indicio
• Sanjay Mohan, Group CTO at MakeMyTrip

Let's Hear It! A PhocusWire LinkedIn Audio Event
Episode 3: Seamless but secure: ChatGPT and data protection in travel

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He says his single biggest advice to young founders is to “just hang in there and don't give up too early because so many businesses haven't seen the light of day because someone gave up too early.”

MakeMyTrip went through long periods of struggle, often existential, before it became the online travel giant that it is today. And Kalra has been part of it all through.

In a reflective and wide-ranging conversation, Kalra covers a two decade span of evolution of India’s internet and startup space, including his own journey as an entrepreneur. It’s a masterclass on not giving up, staying in the game, and building to last.

If you’d rather (or perhaps also) read than listen, we have also published the full transcript for this interview on our website. You can click here and read through it.

And if you have any questions, thoughts, suggestions, or tips, please email them to podcasts@the-ken.com. We might not be able to reply to all of them but we do read every single one of them.

MakeMyTrip was not one of those online travel brands that exploded onto the scene.

Although it has since go on to become India's biggest OTA, Deep Kalra and his co-founders (including Rajesh Magow) experienced very modest growth in the brand's initial years after its launch.

A full-blown focus on its home market in the mid-2000s saw the brand accelerate to establish itself as the country's premier digital travel service.

Like other brands that tried to ride an early wave of digitalization in the region, MakeMyTrip faced numerous challenges but stuck to its strategy throughout.

The company eventually listed on the U.S. public markets in 2010 and has since gone to make a number of acquisitions of its own and form strategic partnerships (including taking investment) with the likes of the Trip.com Group giant in China.  

Magow, now group CEO of the company joins us as the latest guest on How I Got Here.

HIGH is a weekly show produced by PhocusWire and Mozio, aimed at getting the inside stories behind startups and innovation in travel and transportation.

It's hosted by PhocusWire's editor in chief, Kevin May, and Mozio co-founder and CEO David Litwak.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.