In the new AI-driven world of business, you either sink or swim. As thousands of jobs are automated and roles are enhanced by technology, AI skills are becoming a prerequisite for people and businesses alike.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky credits AI with contributing to the $73.5 billion short-term rental company’s success. Now, the billionaire founder is telling other business leaders that technology isn’t just a plus. It’s a must have.
His warning is clear. If they don’t embrace AI soon, they will sink.
“From a business perspective, I think AI is the best thing that has ever happened to Airbnb,” Chesky said recently. CNBC In an interview.
“Founder-led companies and companies that are ready to change and transform are the ones that will benefit from AI, because it means everyone will change,” he added. “And if you don’t change, you’ll be confused.”
Airbnb reinvented itself “before anyone else” and is already seeing results.
Just last week, the company released its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report, with revenue of $2.78 billion and revenue of $20.4 billion, up 16% year-over-year, beating analyst expectations.
Chesky attributed much of the performance to new “innovations,” directly pointing to AI as a key element of the company’s technological growth. Currently, one-third of Airbnb’s customer service tickets in North America are powered by AI, Chesky explained, and the chatbots generate more traffic than traditional search engines. The CEO also claimed that the technology will help improve search on the platform.
Rather than succumb to potential growing pains, Chesky is determined to “be at the forefront of companies leaning into AI.” Because no matter how much companies and workers resist the next frontier of technology, eventually they will have to face the music.
“If you don’t confuse yourself, someone else will, and we’re not going to allow people to confuse themselves,” Chesky continued. “We’re going to confuse ourselves first.”
CEOs say AI skills are important and workers need tech-savvy talent
The world is moving into the era of AI transformation, and some major changes are coming. But leaders are adamant that workers should not get hung up on the downside and use the tools to their advantage.
David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass, argued that technology is not a threat and that AI is actually a key career booster that some professionals overlook. “If you’re a CEO and you’re not using AI, what are you doing?” Roger said. luck last year. “You’re holding yourself back. You’re thinking, ‘I just want to be 80% as productive as possible.'”
Like Chesky, other executives say disruption is inevitable. Nvidia leader Jensen Huang is adamant that AI will not take away roles from humans, but instead go to tech-savvy talent. And as AI permeates every corner of every industry, no worker will have to keep using the tools. It could even mean the difference between keeping your current role or picking up the boot.
“Every job is going to be affected immediately, there’s no doubt about it,” Huang said at the Milken Institute World Congress in 2025. “You won’t lose your job to AI, but you will lose your job to someone using AI.”
“I encourage everyone to leverage 100% AI,” Jensen advised. “Don’t be the person who ignores this technology and loses your job as a result.”
Outside of technology, Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of streaming empire Netflix, is no stranger to how AI is impacting entertainment jobs. Like Huang, he believes technology won’t take over the call sheet, but in an already competitive industry, creators who rely on AI will be better off than those who don’t.
“I believe in humans more than that. I really do. I don’t believe that AI programs will write better scripts than great screenwriters, and I don’t believe that they will replace great acting,” Sarandos said. new york times In 2024.
“AI won’t take your job. Someone who masters AI may take your job.”
