Airbnb Leverages AI and GamePlanner Acquisition to Develop the ‘Ultimate Concierge’ Experience

In November, Airbnb acquired GamePlanner.AI, a stealthy AI startup founded by Siri’s co-creator, valued at approximately $200 million, according to reports. Although the hosting giant didn’t disclose its intentions for GamePlanner at that time, co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky recently outlined Airbnb’s broader AI vision. He emphasized the company’s goal to excel at the "application layer" of AI by developing one of the "most innovative AI interfaces ever created."

Chesky clarified that Airbnb does not intend to function as an AI infrastructure company; rather, it will utilize AI technologies from established players like OpenAI, Meta, and Google. Instead, the focus will be on creating a user-friendly interface that allows customers to interact with modern AI models, leveraging the capabilities of GamePlanner.

“While these AI models are incredibly powerful, the current interfaces are stuck in the past,” Chesky remarked during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. “They resemble web interfaces from the 2000s. We believe that many available models are underutilized.” He further illustrated this point by comparing the static icons on a smartphone to the relative stagnation of applications since the generative AI boom. "AI represents a transformative platform shift," he asserted.

Reflecting on Airbnb's evolution, Chesky noted that just as the internet and mobile technologies have shaped the company's trajectory, AI is set to usher in another significant change. “This represents a shift in power and user behavior,” he said, framing it as a pivotal moment for the company.

Airbnb aims to harness AI technology—especially generative AI—to offer a more tailored experience for users. “Picture an app that intuitively understands your preferences—like an ultimate concierge—featuring an adaptive interface that evolves in real-time, unlike anything you've seen before. This capability would enable us to transition from a single vertical organization to a cross-vertical powerhouse,” Chesky added.

The challenge lies ahead in whether Airbnb can realize these ambitious plans. Although Chesky provides a vision of a redesigned user experience enriched by AI, current AI systems often struggle with usability and the tendency to generate inaccurate information, known as hallucinations. For Airbnb’s application layer enhancements to succeed, the underlying AI models also need to improve in accuracy and reliability.

The CEO provided limited details on specific AI products and services slated for release but promised future announcements related to AI developments later this year. Airbnb has begun exploring use cases for generative AI, such as using AI to generate review summaries.

The acquisition of GamePlanner, which took place a few months ago, raised questions about what exactly the secretive startup offers beyond its connection to AI. GamePlanner was co-founded by AI innovator Adam Cheyer, a co-founder of Siri (acquired by Apple), alongside Siamak Hodjat. In its acquisition announcement, Airbnb indicated that GamePlanner’s expertise would accelerate the company’s AI initiatives by enhancing the Airbnb platform's tooling.