Airbnb says ‘not so fast’ to bots

For Airbnb, only humans – in this case, Airbnb hosts – can provide authentic hospitality and help foster the emotional relationship to a new place that travelers often seek.

When you arrive in a foreign city for the first time, how would you like to learn about the best nearby restaurants, scenic strolls, or the jazz band that assembles every Saturday at dusk in a centuries-old plaza? From a trusted local or from a bot on your smartphone? For Airbnb, the answer is obvious: the trusted local.

Speaking today at MobileBeat 2016, Joe Zadeh, vice president of product at Airbnb, stated that only humans – in this case, Airbnb hosts – can provide authentic hospitality and help foster the emotional relationship to a new place that travelers often seek. Travel can have a transformative effect on people, enlarging their world view and changing their understanding of self. In many ways, “Airbnb is in the self-actualization business,” Zadeh said.

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