LEXINGTON, Ky. — VisitLEX has launched Neigh-I, a humorous new travel planning tool that replaces artificial intelligence with something arguably more reliable: a horse named Oliver.

Oliver, a black-and-white Paint/Shire Cross, operates out of Lexington's Kentucky Horse Park and works as a member of the Kentucky Horse Park Mounted Police. The Neigh-I technology helps visitors plan their perfect three-day getaway in the city known as the Horse Capital of the World.

Neigh-I is a highly unpredictable, low-latency equine alternative to artificial intelligence that capitalizes on growing concerns about AI among travelers. According to recent surveys, more than half of Americans are concerned about AI and yet a similar percentage have used tools like Chat GPT to build travel itineraries. A recent study has shown that horses are smarter than previously thought, possessing an ability to plan ahead that's rare in the animal kingdom.

The process is straightforward: travelers answer a few quick questions online, and Oliver makes choices by picking treats like carrots, apples, peppermints, and horse cookies, each of which is tied to a local experience. After engaging with the program, visitors will receive a personalized three-day itinerary based on Oliver's choices.

"AI can be a useful travel planning tool, but nothing beats real, on-the-ground intelligence," said VisitLEX VP of Marketing Leslie Miller. "You're far better off asking a local expert, like the hospitality pros at the Lexington Visitors Center or a knowledgeable born and bred Lexington horse, for recommendations to get the best Bluegrass experience."

The campaign is the latest in VisitLEX's pattern of unconventional destination marketing. Since 2012, Cornett has been the creative force behind VisitLEX's most effective viral moments, including a 2017 effort featuring an ad filmed by horses, a Queen's Gambit-inspired hotel room in 2021 and the world's first plant-friendly hotel in 2022. The team even beamed an ad to space in 2024, encouraging aliens to visit Lexington when the message finally arrives in 40 years.

VisitLEX achieved a record-breaking $1.7 billion in economic impact from travel in 2024 and formal recognition from Condé Nast as one of the Top 5 Best Small Cities in the U.S.

Travelers can use Neigh-I to plan their own three-day Bluegrass getaway at visitlex.com/neigh-i. Oliver, a 17-year-old Paint/Shire Cross, works with Captain Lisa Rakes on the Kentucky Horse Park Mounted Police and enjoys peppermints, neck scratches and marching in parades.