Source: AirBnB
Airbnb's journey has been a rollercoaster of public perception, from a quirky home-sharing concept to a global travel giant. But after a period where high fees and host unpredictability saw travelers eyeing hotels once more, the company is now making a concerted push to rebuild trust.
AI to the rescue: The company began deploying its AI customer service agent in the U.S. in April 2025, with half of American users already interacting with the tool. Airbnb plans a full U.S. rollout by month's end, a move that has already cut down the need for live human agent contact by 15%. CEO Brian Chesky stated, “We're going to bring more AI into the application, so that [with] Airbnb, you can really solve your own problems with great self-solve through AI customer service agents.”
Travel waves: Airbnb's AI strategy unfolds as competitors like Expedia and Booking.com also heavily invest in artificial intelligence for travel. CEO Brian Chesky says Airbnb's solution is "the best AI-supported customer travel agent in travel," envisioning it as a cornerstone for future innovation. Unrelated, the company reported a 6% year-over-year revenue increase to $2.3 billion in Q1 2025, though net income saw a dip according to the latest earnings call.
Cleaning house: Beyond AI, Airbnb is tackling quality concerns head-on by removing some 450,000 listings from its platform. The company also globally introduced "total price display" in April, ensuring travelers see all fees upfront to combat pricing frustrations. These moves aim to directly address historical pain points around reliability and cost