When a travel platform that coordinates over 3,000 transportation providers across 47 countries decides to rebuild itself from the inside out, the travel industry pays attention. Omio, the multimodal booking platform, is doing exactly that — embedding OpenAI models across its entire engineering operation to accelerate product development and launch new booking interfaces.
Why Omio is rebuilding its operational DNA from scratch
Omio's CTO, Tomas Vocetka, has taken a hardline approach: superficial AI additions to outdated internal processes won't cut it. Every internal function must completely redesign its operational execution frameworks from the ground up. The goal is to operate as a native AI enterprise — not a legacy travel company with a chatbot bolted on.
The two-phase AI rollout that started with ChatGPT basics
Vocetka didn't jump straight into complex integrations. The first phase involved giving the entire workforce base access to ChatGPT. This wasn't a gimmick — it was a deliberate strategy to build generative AI familiarity across the company before the deeper technical work began. Once the team understood what these models could do, Omio moved to the primary integration: embedding OpenAI Codex into product development workflows.
How OpenAI Codex is changing travel product development
By embedding OpenAI Codex, Omio's engineering teams can now accelerate the creation of new booking interfaces and travel features. The model helps generate code, automate repetitive development tasks, and prototype faster. For a platform that handles real-time multimodal search across trains, buses, and flights in 47 countries, speed in product development directly translates to better user experiences.
What this means for the 900 million users who access Omio through ChatGPT
Omio's integration isn't limited to internal operations. The company has also launched within ChatGPT, bringing its real-time multimodal travel search to approximately 900 million ChatGPT users. This means travelers can now book trains, buses, and flights directly through conversational AI — a shift that could redefine how people plan and book travel.
Vocetka's vision: No legacy processes, only AI-native operations
Vocetka's mandate is clear: Omio will not layer AI on top of existing workflows. Instead, every team — from engineering to customer support to logistics — must rethink how they operate. This approach mirrors what forward-thinking tech leaders call "AI-first" transformation, where the technology isn't an add-on but the foundation of how the company functions.
Why this integration matters beyond Omio
Omio's approach offers a case study for other travel and logistics companies. The travel industry has long struggled with fragmented systems, legacy booking engines, and slow product cycles. By embedding AI at the operational level, Omio is demonstrating that speed and scale can coexist — if you're willing to rebuild from scratch.
Confirmed facts vs what remains unclear
Confirmed: Omio has integrated OpenAI models across engineering operations. Confirmed: CTO Tomas Vocetka requires all internal functions to redesign operational frameworks. Confirmed: The rollout began with base ChatGPT access for the workforce. Confirmed: Omio subsequently embedded OpenAI Codex. Unclear: Specific metrics on how much product development time has been reduced. Unclear: Whether this integration extends to customer-facing features beyond the ChatGPT launch. Unclear: The timeline for full AI-native transformation across all departments.
Omio's competitive moat in the travel tech landscape
Omio's strength lies in its multimodal network — coordinating over 3,000 transportation providers across 47 countries is a logistical challenge that few competitors match. By becoming AI-native, Omio strengthens this moat: faster product development means quicker adaptation to market changes, better personalization, and more efficient operations. The ChatGPT integration also gives Omio access to a massive user base without traditional marketing spend.
Risks and balanced view of Omio's AI transformation
Rebuilding operational frameworks from scratch carries significant risk. Legacy systems, while outdated, are stable. A full redesign introduces potential disruptions, especially for a platform handling real-time bookings across multiple countries and transport modes. There's also the question of AI reliability — travel bookings involve complex pricing, availability, and cancellation rules. If the AI models produce errors, customer trust could erode quickly. Critics might also argue that not every internal process needs an AI overhaul, and that a more measured approach could achieve similar results with less risk.
The wider trend: Travel industry's AI-native shift
Omio is part of a broader movement where travel companies are moving beyond chatbots and into deep AI integration. Competitors like Booking.com and Expedia are also investing heavily in AI, but Omio's approach — rebuilding internal operations from scratch — is more radical. If successful, it could set a new standard for how travel tech companies approach AI adoption.
What travelers and industry observers should watch
For travelers: Expect faster feature releases, more personalized booking experiences, and potentially better pricing as AI optimizes operations. For industry observers: Watch how Omio's product development velocity changes over the next 6-12 months. If the AI-native approach delivers measurable speed gains, expect other travel platforms to follow suit.
What's next for Omio's AI journey
Omio is likely to expand its OpenAI integration beyond engineering into areas like customer support, dynamic pricing, and personalized travel recommendations. The ChatGPT launch is just the beginning — deeper conversational travel experiences are on the horizon. The company's success will depend on how well it manages the transition from legacy operations to a fully AI-native enterprise without disrupting the real-time travel services millions of users depend on.
Our Take
Omio's approach stands out because it treats AI as a structural transformation, not a feature update. Vocetka's insistence on rebuilding from the ground up is bold — and risky. But in an industry where legacy systems often slow innovation, this kind of radical overhaul might be exactly what's needed. The real test will be execution: can Omio maintain service reliability while fundamentally changing how it operates? If it succeeds, Omio won't just be a travel platform using AI — it will be a blueprint for how traditional industries can reinvent themselves for the AI era.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Omio doing with OpenAI?
Omio is integrating OpenAI models, including Codex, across its engineering operations to accelerate travel product development and launch new booking interfaces. The company is also available within ChatGPT, giving 900 million users access to real-time multimodal travel search.
Who is Omio's CTO and what is his AI strategy?
Omio's CTO is Tomas Vocetka. His strategy requires all internal functions to completely redesign their operational execution frameworks from the ground up to operate as a native AI enterprise, rather than adding AI to existing legacy processes.
How many transportation providers does Omio work with?
Omio coordinates operations with over 3,000 transportation providers across 47 countries, offering multimodal travel options including trains, buses, and flights.
What is OpenAI Codex and how is Omio using it?
OpenAI Codex is an AI model that can generate code and assist with software development. Omio is using it to accelerate product development, automate repetitive engineering tasks, and prototype new booking interfaces faster.
Can I book travel through ChatGPT using Omio?
Yes. Omio has launched within ChatGPT, bringing its real-time multimodal travel search to approximately 900 million ChatGPT users, allowing conversational travel booking.
