Over the past few years, Airbnb has encouraged users to complete their profiles â answering questions like ‘What are you obsessed with?’ and selecting up to 20 personal interests. At the time, it may have felt like a feature with no real purpose.
But all that data has laid the groundwork for the future of the app: A digital travel concierge that learns and adapts to each individual user.Â
Airbnb showcased early results of its personalization efforts along with the release on Tuesday of its experiences and services offerings.
The app suggests specific offerings based on the userâs location and who the user is traveling with. In theory, if everyone on a trip fills out their profile, Airbnb should be able suggest products that everyone would enjoy.
As the company said in its announcement:
âThe best part is that the app travels with you. After you book your home, the app suggests services⬠and experiences we think youâll love based on where youâre staying and who youâre withâ¬â. When you⬠arrive at your destination, the app welcomes you with a detailed itinerary, including check-in detailsâ¬â and a day-by-day view of everything you booked on Airbnb. And throughout your stay, youâll getâ¬â recommendations for experiences happening nearby.â¬â
âEach time a user books a new stay, experience, or service, the app gains more information.
Thereâs also a stronger social media aspect to the app now. When shopping for a group experience on Airbnb, users (later this year) should be able to view the profiles of who has already booked specific offerings. Then, the host and attendees can exchange in-app messages during and after the event to share photos and videos. Users can also message others individuals from the event.
The app, presumably, can see those photos and videos. And it can see who connects with whom and what they talk about.
Airbnb says it will keep track of users who connect with each other, either during trips or experiences they attend together.
A âTrue Travel Conciergeâ
âI think in the future, the profile will be the center of the solar system of Airbnb, and the home will be one of many categories orbiting the profile,â Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in May 2024.
Personalization is only possible with a lot of quality user data. AI needs to âknowâ about users before it can match with options that meet specific needs.
âThe more we understand about you, the better we can match you up with the perfect place, the better experience and stay that you can have,â Dave Stephenson, chief business officer for Airbnb, said in November.
Chesky said last year that it would take years to rebuild Airbnb into a fully AI-powered app.
But, based on a few small app updates on Tuesday, itâs clear that that vision is slowly beginning to take shape.
âThis is a very material first step for us to bring the app in the direction of being a true travel concierge. You can see through this redesigned app that this is the direction that we are headed,â Airbnb CFO Ellie Mertz said in an interview with Skift.
Staying ahead of the next wave of change.
June 4, 2025 – NEW YORK CITY