Airbnb CEO Holds Off on ChatGPT Integration, Citing Current Limitations
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky revealed the company is pausing plans to integrate OpenAI's ChatGPT, citing the AI's current lack of robustness for their operational needs. Speaking to CNBC's Squawk Box, Chesky emphasized that while future adoption remains likely, the existing software development kit falls short of Airbnb's requirements.
Instead, the lodging platform is advancing other AI initiatives, including an upgraded in-house chatbot capable of handling reservation changes in North America. Chesky disclosed to Bloomberg that this system leverages a blend of 13 AI models, with Alibaba's Qwen serving as the primary foundation.
The executive positioned this as part of a broader industry transformation, predicting an imminent surge in consumer-facing AI applications. "Building everything internally WOULD be impractical," Chesky noted, underscoring the necessity of strategic partnerships in the evolving tech landscape.
