Chesky: AI Agents Won’t Replace Google, but Boost Airbnb

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is downplaying the idea that AI chatbots will replace Google as a primary driver of business anytime soon. Speaking after the company’s second-quarter earnings beat, Chesky told investors that while AI agents could bring new leads to the travel platform, they are not yet a substitute for the dominant search engine’s referrals. Chesky noted that AI models are not proprietary to any one company. Airbnb, like others, can use APIs from providers such as OpenAI, as well as alternative models. He predicted the AI market will include both general-purpose chatbots and specialized startups, alongside established companies adapting their services for AI. The advantage, he said, will come from tuning these models and building the right custom interface for each application. Airbnb has already deployed AI in customer service, with a U.S.-based AI agent reducing guest requests to human staff by 15%. Chesky explained that this task is more challenging than travel inspiration, as customer service AI must be consistently accurate. The tool, built with 13 different models and trained on tens of thousands of conversations, currently operates in English and will expand to more languages this year. In 2026, Airbnb plans to make it more “agentic,” allowing it to perform actions like canceling reservations or booking trips on behalf of guests. AI will also be integrated into Airbnb’s search function next year. While the company has yet to finalize its approach to third-party AI agents, Chesky said users will still need an Airbnb account to book stays, which should prevent the platform from becoming a commodity like flight booking services. He sees AI as a valuable source of lead generation rather than a direct replacement for search engines.For the quarter, Airbnb reported $3.1 billion in revenue and $1.03 earnings per share, surpassing analyst expectations. However, the stock slipped after the company projected slower growth in the second half of the year. Chesky stressed that Airbnb’s focus will be on leading AI innovation in travel booking while remaining open to new integration opportunities.