Airbnb CEO reveals the non-AI feature that got the biggest reaction from analysts
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky noted that a new luggage storage feature received more positive feedback from analysts than the company's AI-driven announcements. The service, launched in partnership with Bounce, has become a significant revenue driver alongside car rentals.
Why it matters
It illustrates a shift in corporate strategy where practical, utility-focused services often outperform high-tech AI features in terms of immediate user adoption and business value.
Airbnb CEO Brain Chesky revealed during the company’s third-quarter earnings call that the most popular new service wasn’t one of its AI-driven features, but rather a practical offering which is luggage storage. “What a sleeper hit,” Chesky said, noting that when he mentioned the feature during a keynote, it received the loudest cheer from analysts compared to AI announcements. Airbnb introduced luggage storage in May through a partnership with Bounce, a global platform that helps travelers find secure places to store bags before check-in or after checkout. Guests can now see nearby drop-off locations in the app and access discounted rates in select cities. Chesky said the feature also drew a huge reaction on Instagram, joking: “I finally felt cool on the internet.”“I went on stage in this keynote, wanted to talk about all these AI features, the biggest cheer I got was luggage storage.
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