Airbnb CEO says AI hasn't changed daily life — yet

There have been a lot of predictions about how AI will change the world — but you're not alone if it hasn't impacted your life yet.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky thinks that will manifest in the next two to three years.

Chesky spoke to CNBC during the Aspen Ideas Festival about how, despite AI's grand expectations spurred by ChatGPT's introduction in 2022, people's everyday apps and products they use have yet to truly change or transform.

"You pick up your phone, look at every app in your home screen, and they're almost exactly the same," Chesky said. "So AI hasn't actually changed our daily life. It's captured our imagination, a little bit of our fear, but it hasn't changed our app."

The Airbnb cofounder said that AI features have yet to reach "that last 10%" where "all the gains are."

With most tech companies still in the midst of unveiling future projects — Airbnb itself has plans to leverage AI after recently acquiring an AI startup from Siri's cofounder — actual product development is still nascent.

For now, AI rollouts have introduced milder improvements, like dedicated chatbots or customer service tools. But system-level integrations are on the way, such as Apple Intelligence, which begins rolling out later this year and promises to proofread your emails and quickly do the math on when you'll need to leave the house in order to pick up your friend from the airport.

But Chesky said he expects apps across the board to look very different within two to three years.

"I think next year you're going to see a bit of a step forward, and I think within 2026, you'll see a giant leap," Chesky said.

The Airbnb cofounder has made similar statements in the past.

"Take your phone and look at all the icons on your phone. Most of those apps have not fundamentally changed since the advent of generative AI," he told investors during Airbnb's Q4 earnings call.

Just don't expect it to stay that way.

Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Airbnb.