Grand Millenium Hotel Dubai has a new guest, and she is no ordinary human being. Meet Zaya, the UAE’s first AI influencer. Unlike chatbots or virtual concierge tools that respond to guest inquiries, Zaya is a content platform that ‘lives’ the Grand Millennium Hotel experience and documents it for social media, just like a travel influencer.
The hotel says this is the first dedicated AI influencer launched in the country and it documents the different amenities and offerings available on the property from its dining venues to its nightlife. This experience will be shared online as a continuous narrative which goes beyond a single traditional campaign.
AI as a storyteller, not a service tool
Zaya’s content narrative will take viewers from arrival to departure, with its early reels focusing on the hotel’s food and beverage outlets.
Peter Mukanyima, assistant director of marketing and e-commerce at Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai, said the project reflects a shift in how travelers discover and choose hotels. “Human influencers create moments. Zaya creates a continuous narrative,” Mukanyima said. “She is always on, always present, and always evolving, shaped by the experiences she showcases and the audiences she connects with. Where a traditional influencer visits and leaves, Zaya belongs to the hotel.”
Some questions remain unanswered
The hotel says Zaya’s role will grow over time, with plans to expand her presence across platforms to build a strong connection with the audience and sustain engagement to create a long-term brand voice.
The biggest challenge, however, will be to win the trust of the audience. The reason viewers follow influencers is because they like their personality and see the content as bringing value with objectivity. With an AI influencer that is certainly not going to be easy to pull off. It is also unclear how the platform will evolve.
The hotel says it will grow as the audience responds to the content.
UAE hospitality undergoing an AI revolution
Zaya’s rollout comes at a time when AI adoption is accelerating across the UAE’s hospitality sector. Industry data shows 82 percent of hotels globally expanded their use of artificial intelligence in 2026 to improve guest experience, streamline operations and enhance revenue performance. In the UAE, this number stands at 60 percent with hotels implementing some form of AI tools to improve operations, with the local hospitality automation market expected to grow by 12 percent annually.
Most of the AI adoption has been in operations rather than marketing. Adyen’s 2025 research found that 68 percent of UAE travelers now use AI to book holidays, with 60 percent trusting AI to organize every stage of a trip. Young travelers are leading this shift with 77 percent Gen Z and 74 percent millennials making us this group.
UAE driving AI across sectors
The UAE leadership has focused its attention on driving AI adoption across government services and sectors. The UAE Hospitality Advisory Council, chaired by Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla Al Marri, has underscored the importance of supporting the adoption of digital solutions and AI technologies in hotel operations and enhancing the guest experience as part of its 2026 priorities. Meanwhile, Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has set a target of delivering 50 percent of government services through autonomous AI agents within two years, an initiative expected to streamline regulatory and administrative processes across the tourism and hospitality sectors.
With this in mind Zaya is certainly a unique initiative. It doesn’t drive automation and isn’t designed with operational efficiency in mind. It presents a more creative approach to using AI by directly reaching out to customers and engaging with them through narrative building and storytelling.
