Airbnb CEO says company will hire workers displaced by AI (for at least 5 to 10 years)

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky announced that his company plans to hire workers displaced by artificial intelligence, positioning the hospitality giant as a potential refuge for those losing jobs to automation. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, Chesky outlined Airbnb’s evolution into an “everything app” that would expand beyond rentals to include services like private chefs, massages, and photography—areas he believes will remain largely human-driven for the next five to ten years.

The big picture: Chesky sees AI displacement as inevitable across industries but argues that hospitality and personalized services will remain insulated from automation due to their human-centric nature.

What they’re saying: Chesky emphasized the irreplaceable value of human experiences in travel and hospitality.
• “When people are travelling and may go to Bordeaux and drink a bottle of wine, he would not want it to be an AI-driven experience,” he explained.
• He expressed hope that “if AI displaces a lot of jobs, they could be a place for at least some of those jobs to expand to.”
• “He thinks a lot of people are going to come to the company” as AI reshapes the job market.

Key details: Airbnb’s strategy involves transforming into a comprehensive service platform that capitalizes on the human element of hospitality.
• The company is expanding beyond short-term rentals to include a wide range of services and experiences.
• Chesky believes positions in hospitality and services will remain “largely people-driven” for at least the next five to ten years.
• He positioned Airbnb as a potential “employer of choice for those seeking alternative opportunities” if AI displaces jobs across industries.

Reality check on automation: Chesky acknowledged that AI disruption is already affecting various sectors, with some industries more vulnerable than others.
• He pointed to rideshare drivers whose earnings have been impacted in cities with autonomous robotaxis, noting that “the profession could eventually disappear.”
• He expressed doubt about humans driving cars in the future, remarking that “all those drivers that are driving for money will probably have to do something else.”
• Reports indicate AI has already begun replacing roles in white-collar professions, including coders, paralegals, and data analysts.

Why this matters: As AI continues to reshape the job market, Chesky’s proposal represents a potential model for how companies in human-centric industries could absorb displaced workers, though the scale of such solutions remains unclear given the breadth of potential AI disruption across sectors.