After reporting stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky addressed the company’s AI strategy, warning investors not to expect AI chatbots to replace Google anytime soon.
While AI-powered agents may help generate new leads, Chesky stressed they aren’t yet a substitute for the referral traffic Google delivers. “I don’t think we should think of chatbots like Google — I don’t think we should think of them as the ‘new Google’ yet,” he said during the Q2 earnings call.
Chesky explained that the AI models behind services like ChatGPT aren’t proprietary, meaning other companies — including Airbnb — can also use them via APIs. The future, he suggested, will be shaped not just by who has the best model, but by who can tune it and build the right interface for specific applications.
AI in Airbnb’s Operations
Airbnb’s U.S.-based AI customer service agent has already cut the number of guests contacting human agents by 15%. Built using 13 different models and trained on tens of thousands of conversations, it’s currently available in English but will expand to more languages later this year.
Next year, the system will become more personalized and “agentic,” able to take actions such as canceling a booking or helping arrange an entire trip. AI integration into Airbnb’s search feature is also planned for next year.
Chesky said Airbnb is open to working with third-party AI agents but won’t give up its account-based system, which keeps it from becoming a commodity like flight booking platforms. He sees AI more as a potential source of lead generation than a direct replacement for core search traffic.
The company beat expectations with $3.1 billion in revenue and earnings of $1.03 per share, though its stock dipped on forecasts of slower growth in the second half of the year.
What The Author Thinks
AI tools are impressive, but they’re not ready to take over the role of search engines. For Airbnb, the winning strategy isn’t chasing every AI trend but using it to improve the booking experience while keeping control of its platform. The tech should support the brand’s strengths, not replace them.
Featured image credit: GES 2016 via Flickr
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