Brian Chesky (브라이언 체스키), Airbnb's chief executive, is pushing to establish a separate artificial intelligence research lab.

TechCrunch reported on June 4 that Chesky plans to back the new organisation while remaining Airbnb CEO, and is not expected to run the lab directly.

The move marks a step beyond Chesky’s previous role as an adviser in the AI industry. Chesky is cited as one of the Silicon Valley figures who are not satisfied with models released by existing large AI labs. Airbnb has already adopted an AI coding tool, but Chesky has said he did not enter a large language model partnership last year because he judged existing products were "not ready enough."

The lab’s specific direction has not been disclosed. Still, user interaction and design are being raised as likely main areas of focus. These are also areas Chesky has consistently emphasised at Airbnb. The effort is seen as an attempt to redesign AI services at the point of real user experience, rather than joining a race based only on model performance.

Chesky has long ties with OpenAI. He first met Sam Altman through Y Combinator in 2006 and has maintained the relationship. After OpenAI’s rapid growth, he has been reported to meet Altman regularly and offer advice on operating hypergrowth technology companies.

When OpenAI’s board fired Altman for being "not candid," Chesky was also cited as a figure who played a role in the process of bringing him back. He advised Altman on how to respond in external communications and was reported to have rallied support from key Silicon Valley figures. Chesky, who was once mentioned as a candidate for OpenAI’s board, may now be entering a competitive dynamic with Altman’s company.

Chesky is not expected to take a leading public role in the new organisation. He is reported unlikely to return to so-called founder mode at the lab and will keep his job as Airbnb CEO. As a result, the leader who runs the lab will face the task of competing with existing AI labs while also working closely with Chesky, who is expected to be heavily involved in detailed execution.

The market is also watching how closely the lab will be tied to Airbnb’s core business. Airbnb has not yet chosen an LLM partner, and Chesky has also viewed existing products as insufficient. If the lab launches as an independent organisation, it could become a channel to test a user-experience-focused technology direction in-house rather than adopting an external AI model.

With Airbnb and Chesky not offering official comment on the plan, the lab’s role, leadership and relationship with Airbnb are expected to take shape over time.