Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s a present-day reality that’s transforming numerous aspects of our lives. From planning vacations to advancing medical research and even changing the dynamics of warfare, AI’s impact is profound and far-reaching. Meanwhile, the University of South Florida (USF) is at the forefront of some of these advancements, making significant strides in both travel technology and dementia research.
In a world where time is of the essence, AI is proving to be an invaluable tool for travelers. The University of South Florida has observed a growing trend of people using AI to plan their vacations, making the process more efficient and personalized. This shift is not only changing how we travel but also enhancing our experiences.
AI: The New Travel Companion
The Adams family, for instance, turned to AI to plan their dream trip to Italy. Amy and Mark Adams wanted to create a personalized itinerary that included Venice, Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast. Instead of spending countless hours on Google or reading countless reviews, they turned to ChatGPT for assistance.
“It’s always been in my head since I was like 15, 16 years old,” Amy Adams said, reflecting on her long-held dream of visiting Italy. The couple wanted to avoid a cruise and instead create their own schedule, seeing the sights they were most interested in. After hearing about a friend’s positive experience with AI for trip planning, Amy decided to give it a try.
ChatGPT provided a generic breakdown of the trip, which Amy then refined with more personalized questions to find the best local spots off the beaten path. “It literally spit out hotels and restaurants. It went from the most expensive to the least expensive to the little, small family-owned places,” Mark Adams said. Thanks to AI, they even discovered a private farm tour and cooking class that Amy said she probably wouldn’t have found otherwise.
“They had their outdoor table, and it overlooked the Gulf of Naples, and you just sat out there and the sun was setting. I cried because I was like, this is the most amazing experience,” Amy recalled. The use of AI for travel planning is quickly growing, with data from Skift’s U.S. Travel Tracker Survey showing that the percentage of travelers using AI tools for trip planning increased from 38% in 2026 to 55% in 2026.
The Role of AI in Modern Travel
Seden Doğan, an Assistant Professor of Instruction at USF, explained that AI can make life easier for vacationers by summarizing vast amounts of information in just seconds. “If you want to do it by yourself, you have to spend a lot of hours searching on Google or reading all the reviews and everything. But AI is actually summarizing everything for you in just seconds,” Doğan said.
However, Doğan cautioned against relying too heavily on AI. “Use AI as your travel assistant, not to make it like your travel boss, because travel is all about spontaneous, unplanned moments. But on the other side, you of course want to know where to go, where to eat, or where to visit,” she advised. The Adams verified all the important details of their vacation on their own, ensuring a trip they will never forget.
“Trip of a lifetime. We saw and did everything we wanted to do,” Amy said. Doğan also noted that AI platforms typically store the information that users feed them, so it’s important not to share personal information like addresses, credit card information, or phone numbers.
Advancing Dementia Research with Significant Funding
While AI is transforming the travel industry, USF is also making significant strides in dementia research. A USF-led study on dementia has received an additional $2.8 million in federal funding, bringing the total federal grant funding for the study to over $50 million. The Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study aims to determine whether cognitive training can delay the onset of dementia.
The study has expanded to include 10 sites across the southeast and includes 7,600 participants, making it the largest clinical trial using brain training to reduce the risk of dementia. Julie Lovett, a participant in the study, has been part of the trial for about three years. As part of the trial, she completes required brain games and then plays other games in her free time.
“I do feel like they’re helpful, but I don’t do other brain games. But I do like to play Sudoku and Wordle,” Lovett said. She decided to participate in the study because her mother had dementia for about six years before she died at the age of 93. “Watching her decline really made me want to be able to do anything that I could to avoid it, and then also do anything that I could to help others in that situation,” Lovett explained.
The Importance of Dementia Research
Jennifer O’Brien, the principal investigator for the PACT study, noted the amazing interest and motivation among participants to protect their own cognition and advance the science. “It’s amazing how much we’ve had interest in the study. And people are so motivated to protect their own cognition as well as advance the science, give back to new generations,” O’Brien said.
The recent $2.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will help researchers continue collecting data from participants. “We’ve had some things like hurricanes and other impacts on our population that’s slowed things down. So, we did apply and receive additional funding to make sure that we’re able to get this first round of data for all of our participants,” O’Brien explained. The study is expected
“Research is important because there’s so many people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s. And whatever we can do to try to slow the progress of that,” Lovett said. Researchers are already applying for additional funding to follow some current participants after the initial study is complete.
Ukraine’s USF: Changing the Dynamics of Warfare
While AI and dementia research are making waves in the civilian world, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) are revolutionizing warfare. One year after the establishment of Ukraine’s USF, Russian targets of various types worth nearly $40 billion have been struck. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this in his evening video address while commenting on his decree designating June 11 as the Day of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“In just one year since the establishment of the USF Grouping, Russian targets of various levels worth nearly $40 billion have been struck. Most importantly, these are different types of strikes, and each one expands our ability to save lives,” Zelensky said. According to Zelensky, June 11 will now be a day of respect and gratitude to the Unmanned Systems Forces.
“For the first time in the world, such a branch of the military was created – in Ukraine. We are developing the USF to the max, and it is Ukrainians who have proved that through technology, ingenuity, and courage, we can change the nature of warfare. We can achieve objectives that were previously either completely out of reach of conventional weapons or extremely difficult to achieve and required an enormous expenditure of resources,” the President noted.
Zelensky emphasized that the Unmanned Systems Forces deserve particular gratitude these days for their mid-range strikes, which have made Russian military logistics throughout the temporarily occupied territories accessible to Ukrainian drones. As reported, President Zelensky signed a decree officially establishing June 11 as the Day of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
