Key Takeaways
- Airbnb is launching an AI-powered assistant for customer service across the United States.
- Half of U.S. users already have access, with a full rollout planned for this month.
- The AI bot has already decreased the need for users to contact human agents by 15%.
- Airbnb is focusing AI efforts on customer support before expanding to other areas like trip planning.
Airbnb has begun introducing an artificial intelligence tool to help with customer service inquiries in the U.S., CEO Brian Chesky confirmed recently.
Speaking after the company’s first-quarter financial results, Chesky revealed that about half of Airbnb’s users in the country are already interacting with the AI bot. The plan is to make it available to everyone in the U.S. very soon.
Chesky highlighted that AI is making the customer experience smoother. He noted a significant impact already, with a 15% drop in customers needing to reach out to live support staff.
This move follows earlier testing mentioned last year. According to TechCrunch, the company was trying out the technology on a smaller scale for specific types of questions.
While other travel companies like Expedia and Booking.com are actively using AI for features like itinerary planning, Airbnb appears to be taking a more deliberate path. Chesky previously stated that perfecting AI for customer service is the priority before using it for complex tasks like travel booking, acknowledging the technology is still developing.
On the financial front, Airbnb reported $2.27 billion in revenue for the first quarter, an increase of 6% compared to the previous year. However, the company anticipates a potential slowdown in travel demand in the near future, possibly linked to global economic concerns affecting spending.
