Airbnb Taps Meta AI Head as CTO, Signaling Deeper AI Push
Shares rise as the travel company appoints Ahmad Al-Dahle, the former head of Meta's generative AI group, to lead its technology strategy.
Airbnb Inc. (ABNB) has appointed a top artificial intelligence executive from Meta Platforms as its new Chief Technology Officer, a strategic move that signals a deeper investment into AI and sent its shares climbing in early trading.
The travel-booking giant announced that Ahmad Al-Dahle, who most recently served as the head of Meta's generative AI group, will take over as CTO. Following the news, Airbnb’s stock rose 1.13% to $140.07 in a positive market reaction.
The appointment of Al-Dahle, a seasoned executive with a formidable background in artificial intelligence, underscores the increasing importance of AI in the travel and hospitality sector. Before leading the development of Meta's Llama family of large language models, he spent nearly 17 years at Apple Inc. There, he was a key figure in the company's Special Projects Group, contributing to autonomous systems and the foundational technology behind the iPhone's multi-touch display. This extensive experience at two of the world's most influential technology firms brings significant AI firepower to Airbnb's leadership team.
"AI will rapidly change our world, and it's a pivotal moment for Airbnb," CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement. "We've been using AI for years, but the technology is becoming more powerful, and we now have a significant opportunity to apply it to our community and products. In Ahmad, we have found a leader with the perfect combination of deep technical expertise, a history of building and leading groundbreaking AI work, and a heart for our mission and community."
This high-profile hire is the latest in a series of AI-focused initiatives by the San Francisco-based company. It follows Airbnb's acquisition of the AI startup Gameplanner.AI late last year, which was integrated to accelerate the development of AI-driven projects. The company aims to leverage artificial intelligence to create what Chesky has described as the "ultimate travel agent," a tool that would deeply understand users to offer highly personalized booking and travel planning experiences.
Analysts see the move as a crucial step for Airbnb to maintain its competitive edge against rivals like Booking Holdings and Expedia, both of which are also heavily investing in AI to enhance their platforms. The goal across the industry is to move beyond simple search filters and use generative AI to create more intuitive, conversational, and personalized user interactions. Potential applications include dynamic pricing models, enhanced fraud detection, and more sophisticated customer service tools.
Al-Dahle's appointment fills a role that has been overseen by a team of engineering leaders since the previous CTO, Ari Balogh, transitioned to an advisory role. His leadership will be critical in steering Airbnb's technical roadmap and integrating advanced AI capabilities across its platform, which connects millions of hosts and travelers globally.
While Airbnb's revenue growth has been robust, the company faces the continuous challenge of innovation in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. By bringing in a leader directly from the front lines of generative AI development, Airbnb is making a clear statement about its intention to be a leader, not a follower, in the industry's AI transformation. Investors will be closely watching for the first wave of product enhancements and new features to emerge under Al-Dahle's technology leadership.