Airbnb shares jump 15% as Chesky commits to heavier AI spending

Airbnb shares jumped roughly 15% on Friday after the company reported second-quarter revenue of $3.61 billion, up 17% year over year, and adjusted earnings per share of $1.27, beating the $1.26 analyst estimate. CEO Brian Chesky said Airbnb will spend "a lot more" on AI, including an AI customer-support assistant and a conversational search experience, with a new AI-powered search test planned for September.

Airbnb shares jump 15% as Chesky commits to heavier AI spending - Airbnb said second-quarter revenue reached $3.61 billion, up 17% year over year, while earnings per share came in at $1.27, above the $1.26 analyst estimate. 1 https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html - CEO Brian Chesky said Airbnb will spend “a lot more” on AI, including customer support, product development and personalized travel search. 1 https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html 2 https://news.airbnb.com/airbnb-q1-2026-financial-results/ - The company plans to begin another AI-powered search test in September; investors attributed the stock’s move to the earnings beat, stronger growth outlook and AI plans. 1 https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html Airbnb shares jumped roughly 15% on Friday after the company reported a second-quarter earnings beat and CEO Brian Chesky said it would increase spending on artificial intelligence. Revenue rose 17% year over year to $3.61 billion, while adjusted earnings per share reached $1.27, slightly ahead of Wall Street expectations. 1 https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html Chesky said Airbnb’s AI work is contributing to the company’s renewed growth and that the company will spend “a lot more” on the technology. The effort includes an AI customer-support assistant, tools for employees and a more conversational search experience for guests. 1 https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html 2 https://news.airbnb.com/airbnb-q1-2026-financial-results/ Search test follows support rollout Airbnb said it plans to test a new AI-driven search experience in September, allowing guests to describe the type of trip they want in natural language. The company has already reported that more than 40% of issues sent to its AI Assistant are resolved without a human agent, up from roughly one-third in the fourth quarter of 2025. 1 https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html 2 https://news.airbnb.com/airbnb-q1-2026-financial-results/ The company’s broader product push also includes personalized discovery and AI-generated summaries intended to help guests compare homes. Independent coverage has described Airbnb’s 2026 product strategy as an expansion across hotels, services and experiences, with AI supporting search and personalization rather than replacing the marketplace. 3 https://skift.com/2026/05/22/airbnb-is-becoming-a-real-ota/ Companies mentioned Further sources The stories that matter, in one email. Free — unsubscribe anytime.