Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) CEO Brian Chesky said he wishes he were 26 again because AI tools are now so much more powerful.
Chesky made the remarks in an interview on the Silicon Valley Girl Podcast, published on Oct. 1. He said he felt like "the luckiest person alive" because he arrived in Silicon Valley at 26, when the iPhone had just launched and cloud computing meant "you could have an app and not have to buy your own servers."
‘I Wish I Was 26 Again’
He remembered saying for years, "thank god I was born the time I did because now is a tougher time," until the launch of generative AI. After that, he said, "part of me said, I wish I was 26 again."
Chesky said that if he were 26, "I could probably do something just as cool because the tools now are so much more powerful." He said he is "very interested in education" and thinks "AI can transform education." He also said, "you could build an AI Disney, you could create incredible storytelling with AI," and, "I think health is like an incredible area."
Interfaces Beyond Messaging
Chesky said, "I do not think that the messaging interface is the right interface to do most work." He added, "I would encourage entrepreneurs to imagine other interface modalities like audio or even further way further."
Chesky has repeatedly argued that chatbot-only interfaces are poorly suited to industries such as travel and e-commerce, saying consumers need richer, more visual and collaborative experiences. Airbnb has taken a deliberate approach to consumer-facing AI, while expanding AI-powered search, customer service and other features.
He said he thinks "a lot of entrepreneurs are trying to fit this technology that’s the most powerful technology in human history into a messaging platform. It’s like putting a jet engine on the back of a bicycle."
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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