Airbnb recently introduced an AI-powered customer service bot in the United States, as CEO Brian Chesky revealed in the first-quarter conference call. About half of Airbnb’s American users are already using this AI bot for customer service, with plans to make it available to all users in the country by the end of this month.

Chesky highlighted that AI has significantly improved the customer experience, leading to a 15% decrease in the need for contacting live human agents. While last year Airbnb was testing this technology on a limited basis, co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk mentioned the potential of AI for the business and how it could enhance the customer experience in the long run.

In contrast to other companies like OpenAI and Google, Airbnb is taking a more cautious approach with AI. Chesky mentioned using AI primarily for customer service before expanding to other areas, such as travel planning or ticket booking. While competitors like Expedia and Booking.com are heavily investing in AI for features like itinerary building and trip planning, Airbnb is moving slowly to ensure a seamless integration of AI into its services.

Despite reporting a first-quarter revenue of $2.27 billion, a 6% increase from the previous year, Airbnb has forecasted a slight decline in revenue for the current quarter due to the global tariff war affecting travel demand and discretionary spending.