By acquiring GamePlanner, Airbnb intends to enhance its AI integration capabilities.AI, a field renowned for its proficiency in “AI, design, and community.”
Airbnb has announced the acquisition of GamePlanner, a significant move that combines technology and hospitality.AI, an artificial intelligence startup led by the Siri co-founder.
This calculated acquisition demonstrates Airbnb’s dedication to integrating AI technology into its offerings, which is not unexpected given that Apple appears to have influenced some of the company’s decisions and innovations.
Airbnb Declares It Will Buy GamePlanner.AI
Airbnb revealed that it has acquired GamePlanner, an AI startup.AI.
The startup’s distinctive qualities were emphasized by Airbnb’s CEO and co-founder, Brian Chesky: “What makes GamePlanner.AI so special is that they combine expertise in AI, design, and community.”
Chesky emphasized Airbnb’s commitment to ensuring AI benefits humanity while highlighting the transformative potential of AI. “In our lifetime, AI will change our world more quickly than any other technology,” he predicted. “We can create some of the greatest AI interfaces and useful applications with Adam and his team.”
This Winter, an AI-Powered Photo Tour Will Arrive
Airbnb is going to launch a new AI-powered photo tour tool as part of its Winter Release of new features for the platform.
With just a few clicks, hosts can create a photo tour that organizes photos by room, giving visitors a comprehensive picture of the layout of the house.
An AI engine powering the feature can recognize and classify images into 19 different types of rooms. Furthermore, hosts have the ability to swiftly alter the photo tour in order to improve how each room’s amenities are presented.
Privacy Concerns Are Raised by an AI-Powered Anti-Party System
In the US and Canada, Airbnb developed an AI-enhanced anti-party system that targets high-risk short-term bookings in order to prevent disruptive gatherings during Halloween.
To identify possible party risks, the system examined a variety of booking details, including the duration and location of the trip. Before they could reserve lodging in the area, guests had to promise not to break Airbnb’s anti-party policies or else they risked being banned from the website.
Although Airbnb’s internal data indicated that the anti-party AI system reduced reports of disruptive parties, it also prevented thousands of people from making reservations for listings, which may have been appreciated by hosts whose vacation homes were empty over the long weekend.
There were also those who questioned the extent to which AI technology could guarantee a party-free atmosphere.
Creating Human-Centered AI Systems
The CEO of Airbnb stressed at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York that a diverse workforce is essential to the AI revolution’s success.
Chesky emphasized the importance of creative input in AI development and the fact that the diversity of AI’s inputs determines the integrity of the technology. He emphasized the strength and irreversibility of AI technology, drawing a comparison between it and speeding in a car without a reverse system.
Like many others, Chesky promoted the development of AI that is morally and socially conscious, emphasizing applications that improve human-human interaction. He compared Apple’s strategy under Steve Jobs to the idea that design principles should be centered on human happiness and well-being, emphasizing the need for products to have a “soul.”
AI Increases Safety on Airbnb
Naba Banerjee, Director of Trust Product and Operations at Airbnb, talked about the company’s use of AI and machine learning to improve the safety of the platform for both hosts and guests in an interview from the “Me, Myself, and AI” podcast.
She described their approach to addressing fraud, account takeovers, and unauthorized parties, stressing the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to detect high-risk reservations and stop platform abuse.
In order to ensure fairness and accuracy in decision-making, Banerjee emphasized the significance of striking a balance between technological solutions and human judgment. She also emphasized the necessity of ongoing learning and adaptation in AI applications.
Taking Advantage of AI Since 2014
In 2018, experts from Facebook, HP, Pinterest, Stripe, and analyst Susan Eltinger led a panel discussion on the topic of AI’s potential to boost innovation, trust, and customer engagement in a variety of industries.
Airbnb’s VP of Engineering, Mike Curtis, highlighted how AI has a real impact on host and guest interactions and experiences that go beyond algorithms. He mentioned that since incorporating AI four years ago, Airbnb has discovered that it enhances search capabilities, gives hosts business insights, and protects the community from abuse and fraud.
