Airbnb adds hotels, expands AI for hosts and support

Airbnb is expanding its offerings beyond private accommodations by integrating hotel listings directly into its platform, aiming to capture new revenue streams and cater to diverse traveler needs. This strategic move includes partnerships with boutique hotels in major cities and a price-match guarantee to attract users. Concurrently, Airbnb is significantly enhancing its AI capabilities, particularly for host onboarding and customer support. AI tools will now assist hosts in creating listings more efficiently and help guests quickly find relevant information within reviews. The company is also rolling out an AI-powered chatbot for customer service globally, which already handles a substantial portion of queries.