Artificial intelligence to be trialed in ticket sales at BER railway station
Berlin's BER airport is currently hosting a pilot project featuring an AI-powered information column named "Kiana". This innovative service aims to simplify travel for passengers by providing quick and easy information about the fastest and cheapest train connections to Berlin's city center.
The AI, utilizing advanced language models, understands and responds to questions such as travel time and ticket cost to destinations like Alexanderplatz or Berlin Central Station. However, it does not have the capability to book or sell tickets directly; instead, it redirects users to the Deutsche Bahn app or website via a QR code.
"Kiana" has demonstrated increased efficiency by processing requests quickly and reducing waiting times, contributing to smoother travel flow. Nevertheless, it is currently limited to weekday operations between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with a railway employee present to assist passengers next to the column, meaning it is not fully autonomous yet.
Discussions are underway with public transport authorities regarding the potential expansion of "Kiana" to other train stations. According to Carmen Maria Parrino, CEO of local transport at Deutsche Bahn's subsidiary DB Vertrieb, the plan is to establish "smart consultation" with "Kiana" at other train stations in the future.
Passengers at Berlin's main airport BER can find "Kiana" installed as a column on the intermediate level of Terminal 1, equipped with a touchscreen, speaker, and microphone. To use the service, travelers simply need to speak to "Kiana" to receive information about their next and most cost-effective train connection at the airport.
It's important to note that while "Kiana" uses advanced language models, it may not always understand queries immediately. Passengers are advised to listen carefully to understand the voice responses.
The pilot project for "Kiana" will continue at Berlin's BER airport until mid-October. The success of this pilot could pave the way for the deployment of "Kiana" beyond BER, marking an important step in Deutsche Bahn's broader digitalization of customer service.
Technology, combined with artificial-intelligence, propels the AI-powered information column named "Kiana" at Berlin's BER airport, revolutionizing travel for passengers. By answering queries about travel time and ticket costs to Berlin's city center, "Kiana" aids in simplifying travel information, even explaining the fastest and cheapest train connections to destinations like Alexanderplatz or Berlin Central Station. However, its capabilities do not extend to booking or selling tickets directly; instead, it provides access to the Deutsche Bahn app or website via a QR code.
