Podcast Episode
AI is also reshaping customer support. Chesky said more than 40% of customer service issues are now resolved without human intervention, up from roughly one-third at the end of Q4. The shift has helped reduce cost per booking by approximately 10% year-on-year.
"You don't manage the people, you manage the work," Chesky told listeners. He noted that many of Airbnb's design and engineering managers are now returning to hands-on coding, often with AI assistants such as Claude Code, rather than purely overseeing others.
An Airbnb spokesperson said the company has not announced planned layoffs, though Chesky hinted at future structural changes to how teams are organised. Whether these moves represent a temporary efficiency drive or a permanent reshaping of the corporate org chart remains an open question, but the direction of travel across major tech firms is increasingly clear: leaner, flatter, and more AI-driven.
Airbnb Says AI Writes 60% of Engineers' Code as CEO Warns Managers
May 8, 2026
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Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky revealed that AI now generates nearly 60% of the company's engineering code, roughly double the industry average. He also warned that traditional people managers face an uncertain future as AI reshapes corporate structures, echoing similar moves at Coinbase and Block.
AI Now Powers Most of Airbnb's Engineering
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky used the company's Q1 2026 earnings call on 7 May to disclose that artificial intelligence now writes nearly 60% of the code produced by the firm's engineers, an estimate he said is roughly double the industry average. Chesky framed the development as a productivity unlock, telling investors that teams are shipping more features and iterating more quickly as a result.Strong Quarterly Numbers
The disclosure came alongside a robust set of financial results. Revenue rose 18% year-on-year to $2.7 billion, while gross booking value climbed 19% to $29 billion. Adjusted EBITDA jumped 24% to $519 million, and the company raised its full-year 2026 guidance, now expecting revenue growth in the low-to-mid teens with an adjusted EBITDA margin of at least 35%.AI is also reshaping customer support. Chesky said more than 40% of customer service issues are now resolved without human intervention, up from roughly one-third at the end of Q4. The shift has helped reduce cost per booking by approximately 10% year-on-year.
A Pointed Message to Managers
Chesky's most striking comments targeted middle management. Speaking on the Invest Like The Best podcast days before the earnings call, he argued that people managers will have no value in the future, adding that leaders running recurring one-on-ones without engaging with the work itself are unlikely to survive the transition."You don't manage the people, you manage the work," Chesky told listeners. He noted that many of Airbnb's design and engineering managers are now returning to hands-on coding, often with AI assistants such as Claude Code, rather than purely overseeing others.
Industry-Wide Flattening
Chesky's comments land amid a broader corporate trend. The same week, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced the elimination of pure manager roles alongside a 14% staff reduction, capping the company's hierarchy at five layers below the CEO. Earlier this year, Block chief Jack Dorsey wrote that there is no need for a permanent middle management layer.An Airbnb spokesperson said the company has not announced planned layoffs, though Chesky hinted at future structural changes to how teams are organised. Whether these moves represent a temporary efficiency drive or a permanent reshaping of the corporate org chart remains an open question, but the direction of travel across major tech firms is increasingly clear: leaner, flatter, and more AI-driven.
Published May 8, 2026 at 1:44pm
