#131 - AI Product Strategy: When to Build and When to Wait with Matthias Keller // CPO @ Kayak

In this episode of the Alphalist Podcast, Tobi interviews Matthias Keller, CPO of Kayak, about the challenges and opportunities in the travel tech industry. Matthias discusses the increasing complexity of travel booking for consumers, the impact of AI, and the competitive landscape, including the role of Google Flights and ChatGPT. They explore Kayak's innovations, such as "hack fares," and the company's approach to new platforms like Alexa and LLMs, including the release of an LLM-based search feature. Matthias shares insights on user behavior, the importance of data, and the potential for AI to enhance travel experiences, as well as his perspective on AI engineering and agentic engineering. The conversation also touches on the balance between being a first mover and the challenges of platform adoption, ending with Matthias's advice to his younger self about taking risks and staying persistent with innovative ideas.