Airbnb CEO: AI Agents Aren't the 'New Google' Yet

Fresh off a strong second-quarter earnings report, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky offered a grounded perspective on the evolving role of artificial intelligence, cautioning investors against viewing AI chatbots as an immediate successor to dominant search engines like Google for lead generation. While acknowledging the potential for AI to drive new business to the travel and services industry, Chesky emphasized that these advanced conversational agents are not yet a complete substitute for the referrals that traditional search brings.

During the Q2 earnings call, Chesky elaborated on his cautious stance, explaining that a key reason AI models cannot yet be considered “the new Google” is their lack of proprietary ownership. He pointed out that the underlying technology powering popular platforms like ChatGPT is not exclusive; Airbnb, for instance, can access these models via API, as can countless other entities. This open accessibility, he suggested, fundamentally alters the competitive landscape compared to established search monopolies.

Chesky painted a broader picture of the AI ecosystem, predicting a future where specialized, custom-built AI startups will emerge alongside existing companies that have successfully integrated AI into their operations. He stressed that merely possessing the most advanced AI model is insufficient. The critical differentiator, he argued, lies in the ability to meticulously tune these models and construct bespoke interfaces tailored to specific applications, thereby unlocking their true value.

Airbnb itself is actively integrating AI across various facets of its business. The company highlighted the success of its AI-powered customer service agent in the U.S., which has already reduced the percentage of guests needing to contact a human representative by 15%. Chesky noted that developing this customer service AI presented a greater challenge than building tools for travel planning, primarily because customer service agents must operate with unwavering accuracy, entirely devoid of the “hallucinations” sometimes associated with AI models.

This sophisticated customer service agent, built from 13 different models and trained on tens of thousands of conversations, is currently available in English for U.S. users. Airbnb plans to expand its language support later this year, with further enhancements in 2026 to make the agent more personalized and “agentic.” This means the system would not only be able to guide users through processes like reservation cancellations but could also execute such actions on their behalf, or even assist in planning and booking entire trips. Additionally, AI capabilities are slated to be integrated into Airbnb’s search functionality next year.

While Airbnb is open to the prospect of collaborating with third-party AI agents, the company has yet to finalize its strategy in this area. Chesky underscored that users will continue to require an Airbnb account to complete bookings, a crucial distinction he believes will prevent the company’s core business from being commoditized in the same way that flight booking has become. He views AI primarily as a tool for “potentially interesting lead generation,” with the overarching goal of solidifying Airbnb as the premier platform for booking travel.

Financially, Airbnb exceeded analysts’ expectations in the quarter, reporting revenues of $3.1 billion and earnings per share of $1.03. However, the company’s stock experienced a decline following its forecast of slower growth in the latter half of the year, underscoring the ongoing investor scrutiny of both financial performance and strategic technological shifts.