The Entertainer's new AI is more than a chatbot—it plans your entire weekend. Here's how it works.

The Entertainer and AWS launch HAPI AI to power lifestyle planning. Here's what you need to know about Dubai-based and why it matters for you.

Dubai-based The Entertainer has launched HAPI AI, The Entertainer's new lifestyle assistant developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The move is best understood as a strategic shift for the popular deals app, moving beyond its buy-one-get-one-free model to become a personalised discovery platform. According to executives from both companies, HAPI is designed to fundamentally change how users find and plan experiences.

What is HAPI?

HAPI, which stands for Helpful, Artificial Personalisation Intelligence, is an AI tool integrated directly into The Entertainer app. It functions through four distinct 'agents' that handle different user needs. According to Donna Benton, Founder and CEO of The Entertainer, these agents provide a comprehensive service.

Knowledge agent: Acts as an encyclopedia for the app, answering frequently asked questions about memberships, rules, and company information.
Escalation agent: Manages the handoff to a human customer service representative when a query requires empathy or complex problem-solving.
Search agent: Provides personalised recommendations based on conversational queries, such as finding a child-friendly Italian restaurant within walking distance in a specific neighbourhood.
Planner agent: Combines multiple requests to plan an entire day or weekend, from a spa visit to dinner reservations, based on user preferences and budget.

"Think of us as the new ChatGPT and everyone else is the old Google."

The shift beyond standard chatbots

Previously, finding a deal on The Entertainer required a manual search. The app was a directory of discounts. HAPI aims to change this by owning the discovery process itself. Chris Erasmus, General Manager at AWS, explained the core difference. "HAPI differs fundamentally from your standard chatbots... HAPI understands context and intent," he said. This allows for a more conversational and intuitive experience compared to the rigid, keyword-based nature of older systems and how chatbots have evolved.

The strategic insight here is the move from providing a utility (discounts) to providing a service (planning and discovery). By understanding user intent and planning entire outings, The Entertainer embeds itself more deeply into customers' lifestyles, increasing engagement and collecting valuable data on user preferences. The ability to seamlessly hand off to a human agent also addresses a common failure point in automated systems.

Early results and regional impact

Despite being in its early stages after a phased launch late last year, HAPI is already showing significant user engagement. Benton shared initial figures: "We’ve actually had 57,500 conversations... over 220,000 conversations already, messages back and forth. And just under half of those, almost 20,000, have been resolved by HAPI."

A key feature for the GCC is its multilingual capability. The AI can understand and respond in multiple languages, including Spanish, Arabic, and Italian, automatically detecting the customer's language. This is critical for serving the diverse expat and tourist populations in the region. This collaboration underscores AWS's role in the region for powering such localised innovations.

Looking forward: a platform strategy

The launch of HAPI is the foundation for The Entertainer's broader platform ambitions. The goal is to deepen personalisation for both consumers and the merchants on the platform. By analysing user interactions with HAPI, the company can provide more relevant trending offers and drive more footfall to its merchant partners. This creates a powerful network effect: better user experiences drive more data, which in turn improves merchant outcomes, attracting more high-quality merchants to the platform.

Benton frames the ambition clearly: "Think of us as the new ChatGPT and everyone else is the old Google." The strategy is to evolve from a place people go to save money into a service that actively helps them decide what to do, powered by an increasingly intelligent AI assistant.

About HAPI

HAPI is not a separate product but a feature integrated within the existing The Entertainer mobile application. It is available to all app users. The service was launched in phases starting in late 2025 and is now fully operational.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HAPI?

HAPI, or Helpful, Artificial Personalization Intelligence, is an AI-powered lifestyle assistant inside The Entertainer app. Developed with AWS, it helps users find deals, get information, and plan activities through conversational chat.

What can HAPI do?

HAPI can answer FAQs about The Entertainer, provide personalised search results for restaurants and activities, and plan entire days or weekends based on your preferences. It uses four agents for Knowledge, Escalation, Search, and Planning.

Which companies collaborated on HAPI?

HAPI was developed through a strategic innovation collaboration between The Entertainer, a UAE-based lifestyle company, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), which provided the underlying AI and cloud infrastructure.

Is HAPI multilingual?

Yes, HAPI is designed for the diverse GCC market and supports multiple languages. It can automatically detect and respond in languages such as Spanish, Arabic, Italian, and English based on the user's query.