When Sajid Shariff returned to the Bay Area in 2024, he reconnected with people he knew from his years working in hospitality. He asked what had changed since he left the industry during the pandemic. The answer, he said, was that hotels were still challenged by rising labor costs, staffing gaps and pressure to bring in more revenue. So Shariff offered to build an AI agent for a couple of properties. The first, called Alfred, answered guest questions and helped with check-ins and check-outs. Within 90 days, he said, online reviews improved at both properties. He then began deploying it at more hotels, before deciding that guest messaging was only one part of the opportunity. That work led him to team up with Scott Arnold to start Dextr AI, the San Francisco startup they founded in July 2025. The company is now emerging from stealth with $6.7 million in seed funding to build agents that handle reservations, guest requests, staff coordination and other hotel tasks. Elevation Capital...
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