Airbnb rolls out AI search in the U.S., betting on social trip planning and post-arrival services
Airbnb said on Sept. 30 that it has formally added AI search to its app, with the initial rollout starting in the United States. Rather than launching a chatbot, the company centered the update on search, shared travel plans among friends, and services guests may need after arrival. The move came after Airbnb shares fell 17.8% between Sept. 4 and Sept. 23, during a period when some investors were concerned that booking discovery could shift away from travel apps and into AI agents such as Meta’s Muse, which went live on Sept. 8 and allows users to search, compare prices, and place orders inside a conversation. Airbnb’s new search bar lets users look for homes, experiences, and services using natural language or voice. Search results now include AI-generated listing highlights, and properties saved to wishlists can be compared side by side. The company also introduced Connect and Travel Map, features that let users share itineraries with friends and view trips on an interactive map. In addition, Airbnb said it is expanding post-booking services, including food delivery in some European cities, laundry pickup and drop-off through Rinse in some U.S. cities, and baby gear rentals through BabyQuip in more than 60 U.S. cities starting in November with a 10% discount for guests.
