Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is reportedly launching a new AI venture focused on developing AI models, potentially emphasizing user interaction and design. He plans to remain CEO of Airbnb while exploring this new endeavor, which is in the early funding stages.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is reportedly planning to start a new artificial intelligence lab, marking his first significant move into the AI sector. The venture is intended to develop AI models, with a potential focus on user interaction and design, moving away from the text-based chatbots popularized by companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. Chesky, who co-founded Airbnb nearly 20 years ago, believes that AI applications in travel and e-commerce necessitate a rich user interface. He plans to remain CEO of Airbnb and will not lead the new lab, which is currently in the early stages of funding. Unlike competitors such as Expedia Group Inc. and Booking Holdings Inc., Airbnb has not integrated with OpenAI's ChatGPT. Chesky is also working to transform Airbnb into a comprehensive travel app, aiming for new services to generate over $1 billion annually. Airbnb employees have already adopted AI coding tools to accelerate business pilots.
This venture signifies a prominent founder-CEO's direct engagement with AI development, potentially influencing the future of AI applications in the travel industry and highlighting a perceived gap in current AI capabilities for rich user interfaces.