Airbnb is prioritizing AI, beginning with customer support, and making modifications that can have an effect on all the things from how company e-book properties to how hosts make their listings extra aggressive.
In Airbnb’s second-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, the holiday rental firm reported that it beat expectations for income, which grew by 13% from the identical interval final yr to $3.1 billion. CEO Brian Chesky predicted that Airbnb would turn out to be “an AI-first software” over the subsequent few years in an earnings name following the report.
“I feel you may’t do journey planning with out AI going ahead,” Chesky mentioned on the decision. “We have chosen a really particular approach to strategy AI.”
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How Airbnb is utilizing AI
On the decision, Chesky mentioned that some firms have chosen to include AI into journey planning and inspiration, which he deemed “the decrease stakes a part of journey.” Airbnb, alternatively, has began with what Chesky known as “the toughest downside,” which is the duty of customer support AI serving to with journey plans.
“Customer support is the toughest downside as a result of the stakes are excessive,” Chesky defined on the decision. He identified that customers want solutions shortly, and the AI must be correct when dealing with duties like canceling a reservation.
To deal with customer support, Chesky mentioned Airbnb created a customized AI agent based mostly on tens of 1000’s of conversations. It really works like this: When customers attain out to the AI agent to cancel a reservation, it not solely is aware of the right way to do it but in addition faucets into particular information about which reservation the person desires to cancel.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. Picture by Myunggu Han/Getty Photographs for Airbnb
In April, the corporate quietly began deploying the AI bot within the U.S. in English. Chesky mentioned on Wednesday’s name that 15% fewer customers want to speak to a human customer support consultant after releasing the bot. The corporate plans to increase the agent to extra languages this yr and infuse it with superior options, equivalent to the flexibility to look and assist customers plan and e-book their subsequent journey.
For hosts, Airbnb is exploring alternative ways to show pricing. In Might, the corporate introduced a brand new calendar for hosts with higher pricing ideas to assist optimize the competitiveness of their listings.
Associated: ‘I Cannot Get Everybody to Transfer Right here’: Why Airbnb’s CEO Is Sticking With a As soon as-a-Month Hybrid Schedule
Customer support is only one method Airbnb goes to turn out to be an AI-first app over the subsequent few years. The corporate can also be going to carry AI to journey search subsequent yr, Chesky said on the decision.
Airbnb has undergone quite a lot of modifications just lately. In Might, the corporate introduced a revamped app with the choice to e-book “Providers” or experiences like massages, private coaching, and sweetness providers. In the identical month, Airbnb additionally launched group messaging, increasing who can work together with an Airbnb host, and shared wishlists for customers to bookmark their favourite leases collectively.
Airbnb had greater than 5 million hosts and 1.5 billion visitor check-ins as of 2024, based on Statesman.
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Airbnb is prioritizing AI, beginning with customer support, and making modifications that can have an effect on all the things from how company e-book properties to how hosts make their listings extra aggressive.
In Airbnb’s second-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, the holiday rental firm reported that it beat expectations for income, which grew by 13% from the identical interval final yr to $3.1 billion. CEO Brian Chesky predicted that Airbnb would turn out to be “an AI-first software” over the subsequent few years in an earnings name following the report.
“I feel you may’t do journey planning with out AI going ahead,” Chesky mentioned on the decision. “We have chosen a really particular approach to strategy AI.”
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