JUL Y/ AUGUST 2024 PULSE. EXPERIENCEISPA. COM
PULSE POINTS
THE HUMAN TOUCH, POWERED BY AI AI Moves from Novelty to Leadership Tool
THE FIRST TIME PULSE TESTED GENERATIVE AI, in July
2023, the experiment was almost charmingly simple:
Could ChatGPT and Google Bard write a credible marketing email for a couples massage? The answer was yes—
AI becomes valuable when it improves decisions, supports teams, protects culture and creates more room for the human touch. but the larger conclusion was still mostly amazement. A year later, the conversation shifted from novelty to operations: scheduling, marketing, customer service, HR, inventory, finance and personalization. By August 2025, the question had matured again. AI was no longer presented as a futuristic spa accessory, but as a practical back-office partner— useful for improving efficiency, supporting teams and strengthening guest experiences without replacing the care at the center of spa.
In this fourth annual AI review, the conversation has moved again. ISPA Vice President Crystal Ducker now contributes a regular column offering practical tips for spa leaders who want to implement AI tools in their daily work. So this year’ s Pulse Points takes a wider view: How are LLMs and other AI tools being adopted across business leadership, hospitality, beauty and spa administration— and what should spa leaders take from that momentum?
CONSUMER-AVAILABLE AI TOOLS began moving rapidly into the mainstream less than four years ago, as image generators, writing assistants and conversational chatbots became easier for the public to access. The most significant milestone came on November 30, 2022, when OpenAI launched ChatGPT, bringing large language models into everyday use for millions of people.
From 2023 to 2026: Pulse Tracks AI’ s Growth
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Members may access previous magazine issues in the Pulse archives at pulse. experienceispa. com. l
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2023: Pulse tested ChatGPT and Bard( now named Gemini) with a basic marketing prompt. The result showed AI could produce plausible spa communications, even if the copy was generic.( July 2023 issue, pages 48-49) 2024: The focus expanded to operations: scheduling, marketing, customer service, HR, inventory, finance, personalization and leadership insights.( July / August 2024 issue, pages 28-31) l 2025: Pulse framed AI as an empowerment tool, emphasizing back-office efficiency, privacy, human oversight and the importance of enhancing— not replacing— the spa experience.( August 2025 issue, pages 38-42) l 2026: The conversation is no longer“ Can AI help?” It is“ How can leaders use AI responsibly, consistently and strategically?”
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