From Powder Days to Predictive Tech: Why AI Is the New Lift Ticket to Success

The following blog is an overview of the Advanced AI Perspectives session presented at the 2025 NSAA National Convention. 

Moderator: Kevin Brice, accesso®, Director Solutions Architecture
Panelists:   Digi Dave Amirault, SnowCloud, Chief Innovation Officer
                   Andrew Gast, Mt. Ashland, General Manager
                   Alicja Kwasniewska, Amazon Web Services, Sr. Solutions Architect

Skiing has long been a sport rooted in tradition—early mornings, handwritten schedules, and the thrill of carving untouched trails. But today’s mountains are going digital, and artificial intelligence is leading the transformation.

At the 2025 NSAA National Convention, an Advanced AI Perspectives session drew a packed room of over 90 attendees, many just beginning their AI journey with affordable, easy-to-use tools. The message was clear: AI is already transforming how resorts forecast demand, personalize guest experiences, and streamline operations.

And for resorts still on the fence? The stakes have never been higher. Embracing AI isn’t about keeping up with a trend, it’s about staying in the game. As competition tightens and guest expectations climb, the ski areas leveraging AI will be the ones leading the industry forward.

Let’s explore insights shared by the expert panel, highlight real-world applications, and uncover why AI may be the most important investment ski resorts can make right now.

Starting Small, Seeing Immediate Results

AI may feel like a massive undertaking, but for many ski areas, the path to transformation begins with simple, focused wins. During the session, panelist Andrew Gast of Mt. Ashland emphasized the importance of choosing use cases that deliver immediate value.

With a small team and limited resources, Mt. Ashland has strategically implemented AI across three focus areas: guest services, mountain operations, and operational planning. Their automated systems handle repetitive guest inquiries, assist with staffing predictions based on weather patterns, and help optimize lift operations during peak periods. Initial results show a 30% reduction in response time for customer inquiries and a 25% improvement in staffing efficiency during storm cycles. AI is even being evaluated for preventative maintenance, safety monitoring, and staff training initiatives.

Remarkably, Gast shared that these gains are being realized via ChatGPT’s basic paid plan of just $20 a month. A clear example of how practical and affordable AI implementation can be.

The key takeaway? You don’t have to start with sweeping change. Small-scale, high-impact applications of AI can quickly demonstrate value, build confidence, and pave the way for deeper transformation.

Unlocking Hidden Value in Existing Infrastructure

Many ski resorts already have powerful tools at their fingertips—they just don’t realize it. AI can turn everyday systems into game-changers by extracting more value from what resorts already own.

Panelists highlighted how AI is being used to transform standard camera feeds into advanced analytical resources. By layering vision models onto surveillance video, resorts can now monitor parking efficiency and identify operational bottlenecks. Pairing these feeds with weather data and other inputs enables real-time adjustments that improve guest flow and staff allocation.

Multi-modal AI capabilities, the ability to analyze text, images, video, and voice simultaneously, further extend the impact. These systems can convert data into auto-generated emails, reports, and insights, helping teams to make smarter decisions without adding manual overhead.

By leveraging what they already have, resorts can experiment with AI at a low cost, gaining operational clarity and surfacing inefficiencies that were previously hidden in plain sight.

The Future of Guest Experience

The ski industry is evolving beyond lift lines and lodge reservations. The next frontier of guest satisfaction lies in intelligent, personalized interactions powered by AI.

Panelist Dave Amirault highlighted how SnowCloud's AI-powered booking system integrates with guest profiles to create personalized experiences. The system analyzes purchase history and customer behavior to streamline the booking process, resulting in a 40% faster checkout time and a 15% increase in return visits.

accesso’s Kevin Brice followed up with a strategic contrast. Rather than developing a single embedded chatbot, accesso is designing its entire eCommerce platform to take a different approach, which focuses on open AI architecture that can integrate with various AI assistants and booking interfaces. This flexibility allows resorts to adapt as AI technology evolves, rather than being locked into a single solution. It’s a future-proof philosophy built around open access, long-term sustainability, and unmatched adaptability.

This shift will elevate the guest journey, making it faster, easier, and more intuitive. Resorts that embrace these tools will not only reduce friction but also deepen guest loyalty.

Building for Tomorrow

Future-proofing isn’t just about embracing new tech, it’s about preparing your systems, staff, and strategy for long-term innovation.

Panelist Alicja Kwasniewska, AWS, emphasized the importance of optimizing digital infrastructure for AI adoption. This includes integrating clean, high-quality data sources, ensuring systems can talk to each other, and training teams to use AI effectively.

One of the most exciting advancements discussed was the rise of AI agents, virtual teams of specialized bots that can execute complex workflows based on natural language prompts. These agents will allow resorts to bridge the gap between technical capabilities and real-world operations without requiring deep programming knowledge.

Ultimately, the path forward is clear: Start small. Build smart. And stay flexible. With the right foundation, today’s pilot projects can become tomorrow’s competitive edge.

Ready to Lead with AI?
Let accesso’s product experts guide you through tailored AI integration strategies designed specifically for your resort. Connect with an expert today. 

Still exploring your options?
Start experimenting with tools like PartyRock and AWS AI Playground, and subscribe to the accesso Blog to stay ahead of the curve on AI innovations in the ski industry.