Airbnb says AI is helping it ship features faster as it tests a new search function
TechCrunch
β’Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:22:49 +0000
π° What Happened
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on the company's second-quarter earnings call that AI has reduced the time from concept to shipping features by up to 60%, and increased the number of features shipped in the first half of the year by nearly 80% compared to the same period last year. AI is now writing 60% of the company's code, and Airbnb is beginning to test an AI-driven search function. AI has helped in areas including search, sign-up, checkout and payments.
π The Backstory
Airbnb has been slower to roll out consumer-facing AI features, keeping them mostly to review summaries and listing highlights, while rapidly adopting AI internally for product development. Chesky has argued that a chatbot-style interface won't suit travel use cases, instead focusing on AI for search, discovery and support. The company is now cautiously testing AI search without forcing it on customers.
π― Why It Matters
Airbnb's experience illustrates how companies are using AI to accelerate internal product development even when consumer-facing AI rolls out cautiously. The shift to AI-assisted coding is reshaping software development productivity across the industry. It also shows a deliberate approach to AI-driven search, which could redefine how travellers discover and book stays, a meaningful change in a major consumer platform.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on the company's second-quarter earnings call that AI has reduced the time from concept to shipping features by up to 60%, and increased the number of features shipped in the first half of the year by nearly 80% compared to the same period last year. AI is now writing 60% of the company's code, and Airbnb is beginning to test an AI-driven search function. AI has helped in areas including search, sign-up, checkout and payments.
Airbnb has been slower to roll out consumer-facing AI features, keeping them mostly to review summaries and listing highlights, while rapidly adopting AI internally for product development. Chesky has argued that a chatbot-style interface won't suit travel use cases, instead focusing on AI for search, discovery and support. The company is now cautiously testing AI search without forcing it on customers.
Airbnb's experience illustrates how companies are using AI to accelerate internal product development even when consumer-facing AI rolls out cautiously. The shift to AI-assisted coding is reshaping software development productivity across the industry. It also shows a deliberate approach to AI-driven search, which could redefine how travellers discover and book stays, a meaningful change in a major consumer platform.