Airbnb intends to expand its artificial intelligence initiatives to enhance interactions for travelers and property owners alike. In the latest quarterly financial discussion, Chief Executive Brian Chesky revealed efforts to develop an experience fully integrated with AI, designed to facilitate trip reservations for visitors, support listing management for providers, and streamline overall business operations. Chesky noted that an AI-assisted search function, intended to aid in trip planning, is currently accessible to just a fraction of the user base.
A letter to investors, published on the Airbnb site, described initial trials of an AI-enhanced search system that enables users to express their preferences in everyday language and inquire about property details and nearby areas. The document indicated that this tool aims to evolve into a broader, more user-friendly interface covering the entire journey, though no specific timeline for wider release was provided.
Although Airbnb might seem delayed in adopting AI across its platform, it launched an AI-based virtual assistant for handling support inquiries in the previous year. This service operates in North America for now and manages one-third of such inquiries independently, according to TechCrunch. During the earnings discussion, Chesky mentioned that the assistant will process notably higher volumes of support cases within the next year and plans to expand globally.