Airbnb has an agreement that could let it put money into and license technology from a secretive AI startup controlled by CEO Brian Chesky, according to a securities filing released with its quarterly results. Chesky has kept the lab mostly in stealth this past year, and Airbnb CTO Ahmad Al-Dahle, a former Meta AI executive, advises the unnamed startup and also holds equity in it. The startup has already paid Airbnb $7.1M in cash for unspecified intellectual property and to cover some expenses. Airbnb said in the filing that neither executive’s role at the lab changes their duties to Airbnb, and that both still give the company the time it needs.
