TLDR: Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky stated that while AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude are powerful tools for customer service and personalization, they are not yet ready to replace Google as the dominant internet search engine. He emphasized that AI technology is still in an experimental phase and lacks Google’s extensive search infrastructure and referral capabilities. Airbnb, however, is actively integrating AI into its operations, having deployed an AI customer service agent that has reduced human support requests by 15%.
During Airbnb’s second-quarter earnings call for FY26 on August 8, 2025, CEO Brian Chesky offered a pragmatic perspective on the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence, particularly regarding the capabilities of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude. Chesky asserted that despite their rapid advancements, these AI tools are not yet equipped to usurp Google’s position as the primary gateway to the internet.
Chesky advised investors against viewing AI agents as a full replacement for traditional search engines, stating, “I don’t think we should think of chatbots like Google. I think we’re still kind of feeling out the space.” He elaborated that while AI chatbots excel as powerful tools for customer service and personalization, they fundamentally lack the ‘referral power’ and comprehensive ‘search infrastructure’ that Google provides. He also highlighted that many of the AI models powering these chatbots are not proprietary, meaning companies like Airbnb can leverage the same APIs, and success hinges more on building custom interfaces and fine-tuning for specific applications rather than merely possessing the ‘best model’.
According to Chesky, AI models are currently best viewed as ‘enhancers’ rather than ‘replacements.’ He acknowledged that AI is transforming how companies interact with users, but stressed that the technology remains in an experimental and evolving phase, requiring significant time to mature into a leading force capable of dethroning established platforms.
Also Read:
- Airbnb’s Ambitious AI Transformation: CEO Brian Chesky Unveils Long-Term Vision for AI-Powered Travel Concierge
- Reddit’s AI-Powered Search Initiative: ‘Reddit Answers’ Aims to Redefine Information Discovery
Airbnb itself is actively embracing AI within its operations. Chesky revealed that the company has deployed a customer service agent built on 13 different AI models, trained on tens of thousands of conversations. This AI agent is currently live in English across the United States and has already demonstrated tangible benefits, leading to a 15% reduction in human support requests. Looking ahead, Airbnb plans to make this AI agent more personalized and ‘agentic,’ enabling it to handle complex tasks such as direct reservation cancellations. The company also intends to expand its AI capabilities to more languages and integrate them further into trip planning and booking processes.
