Don’t Let AI and Corporate Greed Erase the Human Connection in RV Travel

In 2025, travel stands at a crossroads. Big Tech’s corporate billionaires are pushing hard to replace human experiences with AI-driven tools, all in the name of profit.

According to a report from RVShare, 76% of American travelers are now interested in using AI programs like ChatGPT or Gemini to plan their trips, a significant increase from last year. Nearly a third (30%) have already turned to these tools, with Millennials leading the way.

But is this really a step forward, or are we losing something irreplaceable in the process?

What many RVers, and travelers in general, don’t realize is that these AI tools are powered by content scraped from human creators. Bloggers, small businesses, and travel experts who’ve poured their hearts into crafting authentic, experience-based advice are seeing their work essentially repackaged by machines and offered as “personalized” itineraries.

Let’s be really clear – this is THEFT masquerading as technological innovation.

Yes, in some regards, AI tools can save time and money, as 75% and 63% of users reported in the RVShare study. But the promise of uncovering hidden gems—a key allure for 67% of would-be users—often falls flat, with only 52% of those who’ve used AI tools reporting that they’ve found such experiences. Why? Because an algorithm can’t explore, taste, or feel. This comes from human experiences, not scraped-together text from an AI robot.

Companies like Google and OpenAI are pushing their AI products onto travelers purely for profits. But this comes at a cost to you, the traveler: the erasure of the very connection that makes travel meaningful. AI can’t replicate the passion of a travel blogger or fellow community member sharing their favorite off-the-beaten-path destinations, nor can it match the nuanced advice of a local who knows their hometown inside and out.

Instead of embracing AI as the future of travel, we should question who benefits from it.

Spoiler alert: it’s not the traveler. It’s the tech giants who profit from using stolen content to monopolize the travel industry.

Travel Lemming, a site built on real human experiences, put it perfectly in their recent call to action: reject AI travel planners. Instead, turn to the creators who actually travel and share their experiences. Support small businesses (like this very website), bloggers, and local guides to not only preserve their livelihoods, but to get the very best information right from the source.

In 2025 and beyond, let’s resist corporate greed trying to turn travel into a factory of artificial itineraries. Instead, let’s embrace the human connection that makes travel truly transformative.