Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky believes in the future of AI; however, he remains cautious about overestimating its current role.
During the company’s second-quarter earnings call, he stated clearly: AI agents are not yet ready to replace search engines.
“I don’t think we should think of chatbots like Google,” Chesky said. “At least not yet.”
His message to investors can be summed up by saying AI chatbots, while promising, do not match the scale or reliability of Google’s search engine.
They can assist with tasks, but should not be mistaken for fully capable search platforms.
Exclusivity
Chesky also highlighted a key technical point. Most large AI models, such as the one behind ChatGPT, are not exclusive.
“The model powering ChatGPT is not proprietary,” he explained. “We, Airbnb, can also use the API. Others can, too.”
Customization
Despite having API access to AI models, using them as they are in a generic form is not it.
Chesky emphasized the importance of customization. Having the best model is not enough, but what matters is tuning the model and creating a tailored interface for specific tasks.
“You have to tune the model and build a custom interface for the right application,” he said.
This approach, he explained, separates useful AI from experimental features. A personalized experience leads to better results and stronger engagement.
AI in Customer Service
Airbnb is already seeing results from its AI efforts. In the U.S., the company’s AI-driven customer service agent reduced the number of guests contacting a human by 15%.
This was not easy. Chesky pointed out that customer service demands a high level of accuracy.
AI agents must avoid errors; they cannot guess or improvise, and their responses must be reliable every time.
To build this, Airbnb used 13 different models. The system was trained on tens of thousands of conversations.
Currently, it supports English in the U.S. However, there are plans to release more language support.
Smarter and Interactive AI
Chesky outlined Airbnb’s next steps; in the coming year, the AI system will expand to more languages.
By next year, it will also become more “agentic.” That means it will go beyond just offering help.
For example, if a guest wants to cancel a reservation, the AI will handle the cancellation directly. It will be able to provide instructions and take action.
This smarter system will also help plan and book trips and act more like a travel assistant than a support agent.
That’s the direction Airbnb wants to move in.
Partnerships With AI Agents
Chesky did not rule out working with third-party AI platforms. However, Airbnb has not made a decision.
The company remains open to the idea, but with a condition: users must still log into Airbnb to book a stay.
The company does not plan to change that. Chesky also addressed a common concern in the travel industry.
He does not want Airbnb to become a commodity service; he wants people to choose Airbnb because of its value, not because of price comparison tools.
Therefore, he sees AI as a lead-generation tool, not a booking engine. The focus remains on creating a direct, trusted experience.
Growth and Revenue
Airbnb reported strong earnings in the second quarter, with revenue reaching $3.1 billion. The earnings per share stood at $1.03, exceeding analyst expectations.
However, the stock fell slightly after the company forecasted slower growth in the second half of the year.
Chesky remained optimistic. He sees AI as a long-term investment, not a short-term trend.
