Tern, a travel planning platform that uses AI to create personalised itineraries, has been rebranded to Tilly as part of an attempt to bring a more human touch to AI in travel. It comprises a voice-first, collaborative platform that helps people connect and plan experiences.
However, new users have to a waitlist if they want early access at heytilly.ai.
“Tilly represents where AI is heading, toward emotional intelligence, creativity and real-world connection,” said Tavishi Gupta, founder and CEO of Tilly yesterday. “We started by helping people plan better trips. Now we’re building an AI that understands people’s unique taste and how they experience the world.”
Human-centred discovery
With more than 15,000 trips planned across 120 countries, Tilly demonstrates how AI can simplify travel planning and enhance collaboration among users. Recognised by Google for Startups as a high-growth company, the platform has attracted a growing community of younger travellers “who look for smarter, more personal ways to explore”.
At the core of Tilly’s platform is a “living taste graph that connects culture, context and behaviour to deliver recommendations that feel authentic and relevant”. The framework supports the company’s goal of building AI that helps people coordinate experiences in ways that feel natural and human.
“Our users are shaping the next chapter of the product,” Gupta said. “They love Tern for trip planning and want support for everything else they organise with friends and family from date nights to a Sunday picnic. Tilly builds on that insight by creating AI that promotes discovering the real world and feels grounded in how people connect.”
Why Tilly
Gupta says the name Tilly reflects a more human and approachable brand identity, inspired in part by Sylvia Tilly, the Star Trek character known for her intelligence, empathy and sense of wonder. It conveys creativity, curiosity and individuality, aligning with the company’s goal to bring warmth, accessibility and greater humanity to the AI space.
Tilly is designed to act as a creative partner and tastemaker, guiding people through discovery experiences that align with their preferences and personal sense of style. Its taste graph connects culture, context and behavior to deliver experiences that feel intuitive, authentic and relevant.
“We wanted a brand that expresses how people already use Tern and where we are heading next. Tilly feels human and alive. It reflects our goal to build AI that not only understands a user’s taste but also celebrates the emotional connection people have with the experiences they love doing together.”
The waitlist
Tilly has opened a public waitlist at heytilly.ai for early access to the next stage of its platform, described as a “broader discovery environment featuring voice interaction, real-time collaboration, and adaptive personalisation through Tilly’s evolving taste graph”. A new mobile app is expected to launch in early 2026.