How Airbnb is changing from a simple place to book a stay into a smart trip planner powered by AI.
Airbnb Wants to Do Way More Than Just Book Homes
Brian Chesky doesn’t just want Airbnb to help you find a cool place to crash. He’s got a much bigger idea: turn Airbnb into the world’s first travel app built fully around AI. One that doesn’t just help with booking, but actually plans your trip, handles changes, and even finds you cool stuff to do.
On a recent call with investors, Chesky laid it out: this isn’t just a small upgrade. He wants smart AI helpers—real digital agents, not boring old bots—that can do everything from picking places to stay to handling delays, booking your flights, and sorting out your whole trip on the fly. He called it a “generational transformation.”
AI That Actually Helps, Not Just Talks
This isn’t some distant dream. They’re already testing an AI-based support system in the U.S. It’s working well—15% fewer support calls so far.
But Chesky says today’s bots are lame. Too limited. People don’t want generic replies. His goal? Build AI that acts more like a real assistant. If your flight’s late, it should cancel your old booking and find a new place for you—without you doing anything.
From Booking Site to Travel Super App
Airbnb’s not just pushing AI. They’re going bigger: turning the app into a full-on travel hub.
Want a private chef? A surf lesson? A massage or a photographer? Airbnb’s got that in over 260 cities now, and plans to roll out in more than 650.
The app now has separate tabs for “Homes,” “Experiences,” “Services,” and “Trips.” It’s all tied together, and with more AI, it could soon be like having a smart travel buddy that keeps your plans on track and adapts on the go.
Not Just Competing with Expedia—Competing with Itself
Chesky’s thinking past the usual travel apps. Most big-name apps, he says, aren’t built around AI—not really. He thinks only ChatGPT comes close. Airbnb wants to go further.
Instead of just suggesting things, Airbnb’s AI will do things. Cancel bookings. Book new stuff. Find restaurants. Handle problems. All without you poking around in menus.
His big dream? Make Airbnb something you use every week—not just for vacations.
Building Trust, One Feature at a Time
AI only works if people trust it. So Airbnb’s working on stronger identity checks, verified service providers, and maybe even a digital “passport” you carry in the app as you travel.
The look and feel are changing too. Chesky’s a designer at heart, and he wants the app to feel warm and human—not cold and robotic. The goal? Make powerful AI feel easy to use, not intimidating.
It’ll Take Time, But the Wheels Are Turning
This kind of change doesn’t happen fast. Chesky says it’ll take years to pull off. But the building blocks are already there: real AI agents, added services, cleaner design, better support systems.
In his words, Airbnb is becoming the “operating system for travel.” Instead of just showing search results, it’ll learn what you need and take action for you—whether it’s a short trip or a long adventure.
What It All Means
Airbnb’s moving fast and betting big on AI. With Chesky at the wheel, the company’s trying to turn into the kind of app that plans everything for you.
If it works, next time you want a trip, you might not need to plan anything at all.
Just say, “Hey Airbnb, handle it.”
