Airbnb’s AI-Powered Transformation: 60% AI Code, a Super App, and a Secret AI Lab

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has been unusually candid about the company’s AI strategy and expansion plans across recent earnings calls (Q4 2025 through Q2 2026) and media appearances. The picture that emerges is of a company that has rebuilt itself “from the ground up to be an AI-native company,” as Chesky put it on the Q2 2026 earnings call. Here is everything he revealed.

AI Adoption: From 60% AI-Generated Code to a Secret Lab

Chesky made the boldest statement yet about AI’s impact on Airbnb during the Q2 2026 earnings call: “AI is the best thing to ever happen to Airbnb” . That isn’t just talking up the stock. The company shared specific metrics that back it up.

AI writes 60% of new code. This figure was disclosed during the Q1 2026 earnings call. AI-generated code is now the majority of what Airbnb engineers produce, which the company estimates is roughly twice the industry average .

Feature velocity has increased nearly 80%. AI has allowed the company to make “hundreds of improvements” and increase the number of features shipped compared to the same period the year before. Product launch times have been reduced by as much as 60% .

A custom AI customer support agent is now a major cost saver. This AI agent, trained on millions of support interactions, resolved nearly one-third of all North American support tickets by Q4 2025. By Q2 2026, it was resolving nearly 45% of assistant-initiated issues without any human agent involvement . It is now rolling out globally and expanding to over 50 languages .

Consumer-facing AI features are coming. Airbnb has AI-generated listings and AI-powered review highlights already in testing. An AI home comparison tool, which lets guests compare homes side-by-side, is scheduled to launch later this year . A new AI-powered search function is also being tested .

Higher spending on AI is planned. In a CNBC interview after the Q2 2026 earnings, Chesky said the company is ready to spend “a lot more” on AI tokens than originally forecast because the cost of inference “pales in comparison” to the revenue and productivity gains .

A secret AI lab is being built. For the first time, Chesky publicly acknowledged he is working on a new AI lab, though he kept all details under wraps .

The Super App Ambition: Becoming an ‘Amazon for Traveling and Living’

Chesky has consistently described Airbnb’s ambition to become an “Amazon for services, at least for traveling and living” . The May 2026 Summer Release was the most concrete step yet toward that goal .

• Major new verticals launched in May 2026: Independent boutique hotels across 20 cities, car rentals, airport pickup, luggage storage, and grocery delivery .
• Resort Passes: A recently launched feature giving guests day access to hotel amenities like pools and spas .
• Experiences as a demand flywheel: Nearly a quarter of new guests who book an Experience go on to book a stay. Airbnb added 1,000 new experiences in Q2 2026, increasing supply by nearly 80% year-over-year .
• Services expansion is only beginning. Chesky said the platform will eventually offer “dozens, possibly even hundreds of categories,” and has already introduced room service, spa treatments, and personal training through the revamped app .
• Hotels strategy is distinct. Unlike the Uber/Expedia partnership, which Chesky described as “chain dominant,” Airbnb is focused on independent and boutique hotels, with plans to eventually offer “special things at every hotel” .
• Early momentum is strong. Management reported “really strong momentum” in bookings for the new service categories, though they noted it is still early .

Consumer AI Trends: A Phased, Deliberate Approach

Chesky described a deliberate, phased approach to consumer-facing AI. Rather than rushing to put a chatbot on the homepage, Airbnb started with the hardest internal problem: customer support. From there, it moved to AI-powered search, then to AI-generated listings and reviews. The long-term vision is for Airbnb to become an “AI-first application” over the next few years .

The takeaway for travelers and hosts is clear: the app you use today is already heavily AI-driven behind the scenes, and much more is coming. The company is spending aggressively on AI infrastructure, opening a secret lab, and treating its expansion into services as a multi-year play to become a comprehensive travel platform — not just a place to book a room.