Vail Resorts launches AI-enabled digital mountain assistant

BROOMFIELD — Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN) has debuted the world’s first digital mountain assistant, Emma.

Emma — the Epic Mountain Assistant — uses text messaging to offer guests real-time information on everything from snow conditions, parking and personal performance statistics to rentals and dining options.

A beta of the assistant launched this week at Keystone Ski Resort and will use the early winter season to better understand how guests ask questions. Later this season, it will be available at eight other ski resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge, as well as Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in Tahoe; and Whistler Blackcomb in Canada.

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Emma uses artificial intelligence through natural language processing to answer questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week via text. The more interactions with guests Emma has, the smarter it gets, expanding its knowledge base and insights.

“We are excited for Emma to launch in beta at Keystone. The earlier Emma can interact with guests on a variety of topics, the faster she will learn and adjust to guest preferences,” Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer for Vail Resorts, said in a prepared statement. “Emma is the world’s first digital mountain assistant and continues a decade of pioneering technological firsts from Vail Resorts to enhance the guest experience.”