Gameplanner, a secretive new AI venture, has been purchased by Airbnb. The acquisition was announced today. While TechCrunch could not verify the exact purchase price, CNBC suggests it was approximately $200 million. The company was co-founded by Adam Cheyer and Siamak Hodjat. Cheyer, a key figure behind Siri, which Apple later acquired and utilized for its AI-driven Siri assistant, reportedly played a significant role in its inception. On the other hand, Hodjat collaborated with Cheyer at Viv Labs, which Samsung acquired before launching its own AI assistant, Bixby, in 2017.
The specific focus of Gameplanner remains somewhat elusive. Gabe Greenbaum, a prominent figure at B Capital and a board member at Gameplanner, along with Joseph Huang, the company’s head of architecture, are the only individuals identified through LinkedIn searches. The earliest snapshot of Gameplanner’s website on the Internet Archive from December 2021 shows a blank page, indicating a prolonged absence of online activity.
In a prepared statement, Airbnb’s CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky hinted that the 12-person startup leverages both AI and design expertise to craft AI-driven experiences akin to an IoT consultancy. Chesky emphasized that the Gameplanner team will focus on expediting specific AI projects and integrating their innovations into Airbnb’s framework. He underlined the transformative potential of AI in society and expressed the importance of ensuring its positive impact. Chesky praised Adam and his team for their ability to develop exceptional interfaces and valuable AI applications, highlighting Airbnb’s commitment to human-centric technology.
Chesky’s recent comments reveal his aspiration to utilize advanced AI to build a “travel concierge” that personalizes guest experiences, showcasing Airbnb’s AI ambitions. With Gameplanner being Airbnb’s second acquisition since 2019 and its first as a publicly traded entity, Chesky is dedicated to realizing this vision.
