Chesky is establishing an AI lab, competing with Altman's OpenAI.

      Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky intends to support a new AI lab that will concentrate on user interaction and design, while continuing his role at Airbnb. This initiative places him in competition with Sam Altman, whom he assisted in returning to OpenAI in 2023.

      Chesky has been influential in the AI space for years. He first met Altman through Y Combinator in 2006, advised him on managing the rapid growth of OpenAI, and played a role in Altman's reinstatement after he was dismissed by the board in November 2023. There were even reports suggesting he was considered for a position on OpenAI's board.

      Now, Chesky is set to compete with Altman's organization. According to a report by Bloomberg this past Wednesday, he plans to finance his own AI lab focused on user interaction and design, while remaining in his CEO role at Airbnb and not leading the lab directly. The specifics are still in the early stages and may change.

      Chesky’s dissatisfaction

      This move stems from a frustration Chesky has expressed publicly for over a year. Last year, he mentioned that Airbnb had not formed a partnership around large language models (LLMs) because the existing products were not adequately aligned with his vision. He argues that both travel and commerce necessitate a robust visual interface, rather than the text-based chatbots popularized by OpenAI and Anthropic.

      Airbnb has been active in the AI arena. The company appointed Ahmad Al-Dahle, who previously led generative AI efforts at Meta, including the Llama model family, as its chief technology officer in January 2026. They have redesigned their app to rely on a large language model for conversational searches, automated 40% of customer support inquiries through an AI bot, and introduced AI-generated listing details and review summaries. Additionally, a voice-based assistant is expected to launch later this year.

      However, Chesky seems to believe that merely acquiring AI from advanced labs isn’t sufficient. He aims to develop solutions at the model layer rather than just at the application layer.

      A notable trend

      Chesky is not alone in this endeavor. Brett Adcock launched Hark late last year, investing $100 million of his own funds to create a universal AI interface, followed by a $700 million Series A funding round at a $6 billion valuation. Hark also prioritizes user interaction and hardware, with Apple's lead iPhone designer now overseeing its design efforts.

      Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab is exploring "interaction models" that can process ongoing streams of audio, text, and video in real-time. The shared belief among these ventures is that leading labs have concentrated on intelligence at the expense of interface, and that the next crucial layer lies between the model and the user.

      This trend implies a broader significance. When founders of Chesky's caliber cease waiting for OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google to fulfill their requirements and instead begin establishing their own research capabilities, it indicates that the application layer has reached the limitations of what readily available models can offer.

      The Altman connection

      The personal aspect cannot be overlooked. Chesky and Altman’s relationship spans nearly twenty years. They initially connected through Y Combinator, which was instrumental in Airbnb's launch. As OpenAI grew, Chesky started meeting with Altman regularly to provide guidance on scaling a tech company. During the board crisis in November 2023, Chesky advised Altman on public relations and garnered support from Silicon Valley leaders.

      Now, Chesky is creating an operation that will compete, at least in part, with OpenAI’s goals in user-centric AI. It remains uncertain whether the new lab will develop its own models or create specialized systems based on existing ones. However, the intention is clear: Chesky seeks proprietary AI research instead of merely relying on API subscriptions.

      What we still don’t know

      Almost all aspects of the lab are still unclear. There is no name, no announced team, no disclosed funding amount, and no timeline. Chesky's commitment to staying at Airbnb raises concerns about how much attention the new venture will receive, and whoever takes the lead will be inheriting a founding chair who is described by TechCrunch as a "micromanager."

      What is evident is his thesis. Chesky has closely monitored the AI lab landscape and concluded that the challenge of interface, specifically making AI practical in rich, visually engaging, consumer-oriented contexts, is significant enough to justify a dedicated research effort. The question remains whether a part-time founder can establish an impactful lab.