Airbnb just bought a stealth AI company for slightly under $200 million

Airbnb has acquired GamePlanner.AI, a stealth startup that the company said will help the home sharing company accelerate “select AI projects.”

“What makes GamePlanner.AI so special is that they combine expertise in AI, design, and community,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement Tuesday. “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. Airbnb is one of the more humanistic companies in technology, and I believe that, together with Adam [Cheyer] and his team, we can develop some of the best interfaces and practical applications for AI.”

Because it was operating in stealth, little is known about the startup. The company was cofounded and led by Adam Cheyer, who cofounded Siri, and Siamak Hodjat, who spearheaded the natural language processing team for Siri at Apple. The deal is Airbnb’s first acquisition as a public company. It closed for just under $200 million, according to CNBC.

Generative AI efforts have taken on increasing importance across tech firms. Chesky is extremely bullish on the future of the tech, saying AI could better match customers with their perfect rentals. The company recently launched an AI-powered photo tour tool that helps hosts sort their listing images.

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