There is a false narrative that travel is becoming "too easy" because of AI

There is a lot of fuss on this sub about how AI is becoming a crutch for " dataGridView lazy" travelers who expect everything to be very easy to figure out, and don't do any research. I have some thoughts on the matter.<br><br>First, I've been traveling for a long time. Less than 15 years ago, cell phones were very basic outside the US, and to find a working cell phone you would have to go into a touristy area and hope to find a cell phone store. Try finding a cell phone store in a rural area in Peru or Ecuador- you won't. Nowadays you can buy a sim card in 30 minutes at a very affordable price, just about anywhere.<br><br>Next, the internet is accessible and widespread. A lot of the world has widespread high speed internet, and in many countries you can access a good cell phone signal virtually anywhere. It used to be the case that you would have to go into an internet cafe to get online. Now, you can access google maps and just follow the blue dot. <br><br>Third, the ability to map out your route has improved by a lot. I used to use Mapquest or other similar programs to figure out my driving route before I left, and then print the whole route out. Nowadays you can use Google maps or waze to take you directly where you need to go, without having to look at a map. I have used waze or google maps exclusively by voice for a 5 hour drive, with full confidence that I would not have to look at my phone once. I have used waze to figure out bus routes in a foreign city, with excellent results. <br><br>Fourth, the Google Translate app is extremely useful. Not only can you translate text through a screen, but you can also do live audio translation in several languages. I used this to send a video to a taxi driver and then get live audio translation back from him. <br><br>Fifth, the rise of ride sharing apps has made getting rides extremely easy. I have used Uber to go into a city, and then used a local ride sharing app to find transportation. For example, in Argentina, Cabify is far better than Uber. In other countries, different apps may be available. Obviously you have to be careful and use your head, but I would say this is far safer than hailing a taxi in a foreign city.<br><br>Lastly, Google search has improved by a lot. I try to search for my itinerary in google, and there is a lot of information available on google travel. I can see that my flight is the only one out of several that has been delayed, and get a sense of how I will be treated when I complain. <br><br>So, I don't think AI has made travel too easy. There are more resources available than ever before that can help you navigate a foreign place. That is a good thing. <br><br>What do you think?