Airbnb Deploys AI Bot, 50% US Users Engaged

Airbnb has begun rolling out an AI-powered customer service chatbot across the United States, with about 50% of U.S. users already interacting with the tool and plans for full coverage by the end of the month. According to CEO Brian Chesky, the AI assistant has led to a 15% reduction in users needing to escalate issues to human agents, streamlining responses to standard inquiries like reservation changes and refunds. This measured approach contrasts with competitors such as Expedia and Booking.com, which are investing in broader AI features for trip planning and itinerary management, while Airbnb is initially limiting AI to backend support. Leadership at Airbnb describes AI as a high priority but still in an early stage, comparing its current development to the internet of the mid-to-late 1990s. The system escalates complex cases to human agents and is expected to become increasingly personalized as it learns from user interactions. Airbnb reported higher first-quarter revenue but cautioned about slowing booking growth due to economic uncertainty in the travel sector.