Airbnb CEO says it’s still too early for AI trip planning

Airbnb plans AI for customer support, not trip planning, citing early AI stages.

: Airbnb, led by CEO Brian Chesky, plans to roll out AI technology initially for customer support, not trip planning, during summer 2024. While firms like OpenAI aim for AI trip planning, Chesky feels the technology isn't mature yet, comparing AI's stage to the '90s internet era. Airbnb foresees AI's future role as a travel concierge and expects customer service efficiencies and moderate engineering productivity gains. With strong Q4 earnings, Airbnb seeks incremental efficiency improvements, especially in cost-variable areas like customer service.

Airbnb, led by co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, announced plans to integrate AI technology into its customer support system, rather than using it for trip planning. Chesky believes AI can greatly improve customer service by conversing in any language and processing vast amounts of information, with the rollout set for summer 2024.

Although other companies, such as OpenAI and Google, are advancing in AI trip planning, Chesky contrasts Airbnb's approach with caution, citing that AI is in an early stage akin to the mid-to-late 1990s internet. He predicts a future where AI profoundly impacts travel, but currently, it is premature for significant uses like trip planning.

Additionally, Airbnb has seen minor productivity improvements in engineering from AI. CFO Ellie Mertz hinted at increased efficiencies in customer service, contributing to margin growth. Airbnb's Q4 2024 earnings exceeded expectations with $2.48 billion in revenue, leading to a 15% share price boost.