Google brings AI-powered flight deals to India, US, Canada, challenging OTAs
Google has rolled out its AI-driven ‘Flight Deals’ feature in India, the US, and Canada, aiming to become a starting point for travellers. Powered by Google’s Gemini AI, the tool understands natural language queries such as “a week-long trip to a city with great food” or “romantic weekend getaways,” and matches them with real-time pricing data from hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs).
According to a report published by Hindustan Times, Flight Deals pushes Google further up the travel planning funnel, catering to both deal-seekers and early-stage planners. The feature lists ticket prices from OTAs such as MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip, and Goibibo alongside direct airline fares, ranking them by price, link quality, and user experience, though Google notes its data shows users often prefer airline links.
Queries for routes like Delhi–Chiang Mai produced dozens of airline and OTA options, with detailed breakdowns on layovers, aircraft features, and in-flight amenities during tests. Once a flight is chosen, users will see over 10 booking options, from direct airline portals to platforms like Booking.com and Trip.com.
For OTAs, the move could mean lost bookings if travellers bypass them in favour of direct airline reservations.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
