Airbnb acquires mysterious startup by Siri co-founder

Airbnb has announced the acquisition of a clandestine AI startup, GamePlanner.AI. While the exact purchase price remains unconfirmed, CNBC has speculated a figure around $200M.

• Minds Behind GamePlanner AI: The brains behind GamePlanner are no strangers to significant tech ventures. Adam Cheyer, one of the co-founders, is known for co-launching Siri, the startup at the core of Apple's AI-powered assistant. His partner, Siamak Hodjat, collaborated with Cheyer at Viv Labs, the company that Samsung later purchased to launch its AI assistant, Bixby.

• What's Next for Airbnb and GamePlanner AI: The specifics of GamePlanner's operations are somewhat enigmatic, with LinkedIn revealing only two associates - Gabe Greenbaum, a director on GamePlanner’s board and Joseph Huang, the head of design.

• Partnership Details: Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO and co-founder, expressed his optimism about the partnership, hinting at GamePlanner's unique blend of AI and design expertise. Chesky emphasized the transformative potential of AI, stating, "AI will rapidly alter our world more than any other technology in our lifetime, but we need to ensure that it augments humanity in a positive way."

• The Future Vision: Under the new partnership, GamePlanner will concentrate on fast-tracking select AI projects and synchronizing their tooling with Airbnb's platform. The team's primary goal is to develop practical and user-friendly AI applications.

Chesky's vision for Airbnb includes using generative AI to build a "travel concierge" that tailors to travelers' needs. The acquisition of GamePlanner, Airbnb's first since 2019 and its first as a public company, signals the serious intent to turn this vision into reality.