Fast Company

Brian Chesky wants the old Facebook back. You know, the one with birthdays and pokes. “It would still be a great product!” exclaims Chesky. “We're not going to be that company [making it], but there's still a need for it.” But while Chesky doesn’t want to build Facebook 2.0 himself, he is laying the groundwork for Airbnb to become something much closer to a social network. In my latest interview for Fast Company, Chesky breaks down his initiatives launching this fall that will begin to transform Airbnb into something more like a social network. The initial features are small—just opting into sharing your profile with people you do Airbnb Experiences with—but it will be the first in years of updates that Chesky is planning to build a sort of social network for real life (or at least, vacation). Aside from social networking, he discussed the other grand existential question of our age: How he’ll turn Airbnb into an AI company. “I think AI is going to be so ubiquitous that everyone will be an AI company. Because you'll have to be,” he says. “If you're not an AI company, it's like, not using electricity, you're just probably not going to exist.” But the devil is in the details, because Chesky knows there are two approaches: one where Airbnb is essentially an app running on ChatGPT, and one where Airbnb is the AI assistant for your travel and day-to-day adventures. In this extended interview, Chesky went deep sharing his company's strategy, and even broke down his step-by-step plan to transform the UX of Airbnb into an AI-native experience. Don't miss the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gpewUVDa

"Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic are providing millions of dollars for AI training to the American Federation of Teachers." http://f-st.co/1f31SWM

To sell off abandoned usernames, the company has opened a waitlist for what it's calling the "handle marketplace." http://f-st.co/eNsiK5j

Layoffs impact more than headcount, they shake culture. Having led teams through layoffs before, I've learned that the most challenging part is when trust is broken; productivity, confidence, and connection all take a hit. Rebuilding trust takes real effort, candor and empathy, not corporate spin. I recently wrote about this topic in an article for Fast Company: https://lnkd.in/gZxeSQkD It’s a topic leaders should be thinking about right now, especially in the current environment. Layoffs don’t define your culture, how you lead afterward does. #Leadership #Layoffs #Culture #Trust #Workforce

"Culture change is a big topic—and a big consulting business." http://f-st.co/1qQqQhL

The operating system's radical new design language has been polarizing, but soon you'll be able to tone it down. Here's how. http://f-st.co/icEwddm

Delivering the WOW by Richard Fain is out now! In Delivering the WOW, Fain shows how a culture united people around a mission, delighted guests, and unlocked extraordinary performance. Available everywhere books are sold! https://lnkd.in/dCtgVtSn A part of the Fast Company publishing imprint. #FastCompany #PubDay #NewBookRelease #NewBook #Thoughtleader #BusinessBook

Leadership Anatomy in Motion by Louisa Loran is out now! Leadership Anatomy in Motion is a call to action for leaders ready to thrive amid uncertainty—not by having all the answers but by navigating complexity with integrity, moving with clarity, and creating conditions for others to grow. Available everywhere books are sold! https://lnkd.in/dCtgVtSn A part of the Fast Company publishing imprint. #FastCompany #PubDay #NewBookRelease #NewBook #Thoughtleader #BusinessBook

"Coinbase said on Tuesday it has bought investment platform Echo in a nearly $375 million cash-and-stock deal." http://f-st.co/4fe8cHH

"GM said it plans to mitigate 35% of its anticipated tariff hit." http://f-st.co/IMIll40