布萊恩·切斯基從不諱言愛彼迎(Airbnb)存在的技術(shù)問題。他最近甚至表示需要修復(fù)該度假租賃平臺的“基礎(chǔ)”。(該公司的房源因為可靠性和一致性等問題而遭到詬病。)現(xiàn)在,愛彼迎的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人及首席執(zhí)行官切斯基迫切地想要告訴全世界,他找到了一種潛在的解決方案:人工智能(AI)。
上周,愛彼迎公布了一系列新功能,包括一款人工智能驅(qū)動的工具,支持房主以照片的方式自動生成參觀民宿的體驗。切斯基后來在接受采訪時對《財富》雜志表示:“我認(rèn)為愛彼迎已經(jīng)度過了難關(guān)?!?/p>
切斯基確信,愛彼迎已經(jīng)走上了正確的軌道,其新發(fā)布的功能將幫助吸引房主和旅客。新功能中包括“旅客最愛”類別,列出了該應(yīng)用程序上最受歡迎的民宿。然而,對于如何使用人工智能更徹底地改變愛彼迎,這位聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人還有更大的野心。
切斯基說:“最終的目標(biāo)是變成類似于一家人工智能旅行社,它可以了解并理解你。它不會問‘你要去哪兒’或‘你什么時候出發(fā)’,相反它會[了解]你的身份,然后根據(jù)你的期望尤其是你的出行需求為你匹配相關(guān)服務(wù)?!?/p>
在這方面,11月14日,愛彼迎宣布了上市以后的第一筆收購,買下了一家神秘的初創(chuàng)公司GamePlanner.AI,據(jù)媒體稱收購價格為2億美元。外界對這家只有12個人的公司知之甚少。愛彼迎發(fā)布的新聞稿稱,該公司同時具備了“人工智能、設(shè)計和社區(qū)”方面的專業(yè)知識。但顯然GamePlanner.AI的團(tuán)隊和技術(shù),將在愛彼迎進(jìn)入新時代的過程中扮演關(guān)鍵角色。愛彼迎將以人工智能優(yōu)先的方式,重新設(shè)計應(yīng)用程序的界面和功能。
切斯基在上周的采訪中稱:“我認(rèn)為我們能夠成為特定類型人工智能領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。我們不是基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施公司。我們不會成為人工智能研發(fā)方面的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。我們也不會開發(fā)大語言模型。但我們領(lǐng)先的將是‘應(yīng)用人工智能’?!?/p>
切斯基所說的是人工智能的應(yīng)用層面。在宣布此次收購的消息之前,切斯基與《財富》雜志分享了一些“假設(shè)”,他講述了公司使用人工智能創(chuàng)建新用戶體驗的不同方式。
切斯基表示:“我認(rèn)為,首先我們希望創(chuàng)建更個性化的人工智能驅(qū)動服務(wù)。”這意味著用數(shù)據(jù)創(chuàng)建更豐富的客戶資料,并反饋到人工智能系統(tǒng)當(dāng)中,從而為用戶提供旅行和預(yù)訂建議,用戶不需要在傳統(tǒng)搜索框中輸入信息。切斯基還指出,可以使用客戶服務(wù)數(shù)據(jù)訓(xùn)練人工智能系統(tǒng),最終利用相關(guān)知識改善搜索體驗。(換言之,成為一家人工智能驅(qū)動的旅行社。)
確切地說,新照片看房功能和收購GamePlanner.AI,并非愛彼迎首次進(jìn)入人工智能領(lǐng)域。該公司多年來一直在開發(fā)人工智能驅(qū)動的工具、計算機視覺和機器學(xué)習(xí)。目前還不確定愛彼迎的新收購目標(biāo)。但從對切斯基的采訪里能夠明顯看出,他認(rèn)為人工智能將是愛彼迎未來保持競爭力的關(guān)鍵,圍繞人工智能重新確定公司的戰(zhàn)略,至少在用戶與應(yīng)用程序的交互方面,將帶來巨大的變化。
有趣的是,GamePlanner.AI的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人亞當(dāng)·切耶爾也是Siri的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人。Siri后來被蘋果(Apple)收購。而曾經(jīng)是設(shè)計專業(yè)學(xué)生的切斯基,對蘋果始終心懷敬意。
切斯基最近在接受采訪時告訴《財富》雜志:“要成為一家優(yōu)秀的消費品公司,你必須精通工程、研究、設(shè)計、營銷、運營和銷售,還必須了解文化,而蘋果做到了。但到2007年蘋果推出iPhone時,他們用了30年時間培養(yǎng)這些技能?,F(xiàn)在的挑戰(zhàn)是人工智能發(fā)展迅速,一切都在快速變化。公司很難在各個方面都變得優(yōu)秀,因此我認(rèn)為未來公司必須選好方向。”
至少目前,切斯基似乎已經(jīng)為公司選好了方向:一款更像是超級旅行社的應(yīng)用程序,而不是度假租賃的搜索引擎,至少部分動力將來自神秘的初創(chuàng)公司GamePlanner.AI。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
布萊恩·切斯基從不諱言愛彼迎(Airbnb)存在的技術(shù)問題。他最近甚至表示需要修復(fù)該度假租賃平臺的“基礎(chǔ)”。(該公司的房源因為可靠性和一致性等問題而遭到詬病。)現(xiàn)在,愛彼迎的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人及首席執(zhí)行官切斯基迫切地想要告訴全世界,他找到了一種潛在的解決方案:人工智能(AI)。
上周,愛彼迎公布了一系列新功能,包括一款人工智能驅(qū)動的工具,支持房主以照片的方式自動生成參觀民宿的體驗。切斯基后來在接受采訪時對《財富》雜志表示:“我認(rèn)為愛彼迎已經(jīng)度過了難關(guān)。”
切斯基確信,愛彼迎已經(jīng)走上了正確的軌道,其新發(fā)布的功能將幫助吸引房主和旅客。新功能中包括“旅客最愛”類別,列出了該應(yīng)用程序上最受歡迎的民宿。然而,對于如何使用人工智能更徹底地改變愛彼迎,這位聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人還有更大的野心。
切斯基說:“最終的目標(biāo)是變成類似于一家人工智能旅行社,它可以了解并理解你。它不會問‘你要去哪兒’或‘你什么時候出發(fā)’,相反它會[了解]你的身份,然后根據(jù)你的期望尤其是你的出行需求為你匹配相關(guān)服務(wù)?!?/p>
在這方面,11月14日,愛彼迎宣布了上市以后的第一筆收購,買下了一家神秘的初創(chuàng)公司GamePlanner.AI,據(jù)媒體稱收購價格為2億美元。外界對這家只有12個人的公司知之甚少。愛彼迎發(fā)布的新聞稿稱,該公司同時具備了“人工智能、設(shè)計和社區(qū)”方面的專業(yè)知識。但顯然GamePlanner.AI的團(tuán)隊和技術(shù),將在愛彼迎進(jìn)入新時代的過程中扮演關(guān)鍵角色。愛彼迎將以人工智能優(yōu)先的方式,重新設(shè)計應(yīng)用程序的界面和功能。
切斯基在上周的采訪中稱:“我認(rèn)為我們能夠成為特定類型人工智能領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。我們不是基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施公司。我們不會成為人工智能研發(fā)方面的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。我們也不會開發(fā)大語言模型。但我們領(lǐng)先的將是‘應(yīng)用人工智能’?!?/p>
切斯基所說的是人工智能的應(yīng)用層面。在宣布此次收購的消息之前,切斯基與《財富》雜志分享了一些“假設(shè)”,他講述了公司使用人工智能創(chuàng)建新用戶體驗的不同方式。
切斯基表示:“我認(rèn)為,首先我們希望創(chuàng)建更個性化的人工智能驅(qū)動服務(wù)。”這意味著用數(shù)據(jù)創(chuàng)建更豐富的客戶資料,并反饋到人工智能系統(tǒng)當(dāng)中,從而為用戶提供旅行和預(yù)訂建議,用戶不需要在傳統(tǒng)搜索框中輸入信息。切斯基還指出,可以使用客戶服務(wù)數(shù)據(jù)訓(xùn)練人工智能系統(tǒng),最終利用相關(guān)知識改善搜索體驗。(換言之,成為一家人工智能驅(qū)動的旅行社。)
確切地說,新照片看房功能和收購GamePlanner.AI,并非愛彼迎首次進(jìn)入人工智能領(lǐng)域。該公司多年來一直在開發(fā)人工智能驅(qū)動的工具、計算機視覺和機器學(xué)習(xí)。目前還不確定愛彼迎的新收購目標(biāo)。但從對切斯基的采訪里能夠明顯看出,他認(rèn)為人工智能將是愛彼迎未來保持競爭力的關(guān)鍵,圍繞人工智能重新確定公司的戰(zhàn)略,至少在用戶與應(yīng)用程序的交互方面,將帶來巨大的變化。
有趣的是,GamePlanner.AI的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人亞當(dāng)·切耶爾也是Siri的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人。Siri后來被蘋果(Apple)收購。而曾經(jīng)是設(shè)計專業(yè)學(xué)生的切斯基,對蘋果始終心懷敬意。
切斯基最近在接受采訪時告訴《財富》雜志:“要成為一家優(yōu)秀的消費品公司,你必須精通工程、研究、設(shè)計、營銷、運營和銷售,還必須了解文化,而蘋果做到了。但到2007年蘋果推出iPhone時,他們用了30年時間培養(yǎng)這些技能。現(xiàn)在的挑戰(zhàn)是人工智能發(fā)展迅速,一切都在快速變化。公司很難在各個方面都變得優(yōu)秀,因此我認(rèn)為未來公司必須選好方向。”
至少目前,切斯基似乎已經(jīng)為公司選好了方向:一款更像是超級旅行社的應(yīng)用程序,而不是度假租賃的搜索引擎,至少部分動力將來自神秘的初創(chuàng)公司GamePlanner.AI。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
Brian Chesky hasn’t exactly been coy about Airbnb’s technical problems, even noting recently the need to fix the vacation rental platform’s “foundation.” (The company’s listings have been criticized for issues with reliability and consistency, among other complaints.) Now, the co-founder and CEO is eager to tell the world that he’s found a possible solution to these woes: artificial intelligence.
“I think that Airbnb has turned the corner,” Chesky told Fortune during an interview that took place last week after Airbnb unveiled a slew of new features, including an AI-powered tool that lets hosts automatically create photo tours of their homes.
Chesky is confident that Airbnb is on the right track, and that the newly-launched features–which also include “Guest Favorites,” a new category of the most-loved homes on the app–will help win over both hosts and guests. But the co-founder has much bigger ambitions for how AI could be used to more radically change Airbnb.
“The Holy Grail is becoming more like an AI travel agent that’s the ultimate agent that can learn about you, and understand you,” says Chesky. “It doesn’t just ask you, ‘where are you going’ or ‘when are you going’ but [understands] who you are and then can match you to anything you want, especially with your travel needs.”
To that end: On November 14, Airbnb announced its first acquisition as a public company, snapping up a stealth startup called GamePlanner.AI for a reported $200 million. Not much is known about the 12-person company, which combines expertise in “AI, design, and community,” according to a press release issued by Airbnb. But it’s clear that GamePlanner.AI’s team and technology will play a key role in ushering in a new era at Airbnb, reimagining the interface and features on the app with an AI-first approach.
“I think that we can be a leader in AI, a certain type of AI,” Chesky said in last week’s interview. “We’re not the infrastructure company. We’re not going to be a leader in AI research. And we’re not going to be developing large language models. But where we can be a leader is ‘a(chǎn)pplied AI.’”
What Chesky is referring to here is the application layers of AI. Prior to the announcement of the acquisition, the CEO shared some “hypotheticals” with Fortune–different ways that the company could use AI to create a new experience for its users.
“I think the first thing is that we want to build a more personalized AI-powered service,” said Chesky. That would mean building richer customer profiles with data that can feed into an AI system to present users with travel and booking suggestions, without necessarily having to enter information into a traditional search box. Chesky also said that the AI system could be trained on customer service data, and eventually bring in that knowledge into the search experience. (In other words: An AI-powered travel agent.)
To be sure, the new photo tours feature and the acquisition of GamePlanner.AI isn’t Airbnb’s first foray into artificial intelligence–the company has been working on AI-powered tools, computer vision, and machine learning for years. And it’s not clear just what Airbnb has in store for its new purchase. But it’s evident from talking to Chesky that he believes AI will be crucial in keeping Airbnb competitive in the future, and that re-positioning the company’s strategy around it presents a significant departure from the past, at least in the way users engage with the app.
Interestingly, the co-founder of GamePlanner.AI, Adam Cheyer, also co-founded Siri, which was acquired by Apple– a company Chesky, a former design student, has admired for years.
“To be a good consumer company, you have to be good at engineering and research and design and marketing and operations and sales, and you have to understand culture, and Apple was able to do that,” Chesky said in his recent interview with Fortune. “But by the time Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, they’d had 30 years to develop those skill sets. The challenge now is that AI is moving really fast, everything grows fast. And it’s really hard for companies to be good at every discipline… so I think that companies are going to have to pick lanes.”
At least for now, it appears that Chesky has picked that lane: An app that looks more like a supercharged travel agent than a search engine for vacation rentals, at least partially powered by a stealth startup called GamePlanner.AI.