Airbnb's CEO reveals AI now writes 60% of company code

Airbnb is encouraging not only its engineers but also its managers to engage in coding and integrate AI.

During an earnings call on Thursday, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky highlighted AI's transformative effect on company operations.

He shared that nearly 60% of the code their engineers develop is generated by AI.

"This enables our teams to release more features and enhance them more rapidly," Chesky explained.

Chesky joins the ranks of CEOs showcasing the extent of AI-written code in their companies.

For instance, Shopify's president, Harley Finkelstein, mentioned in an earnings call that the e-commerce giant relies on AI for 50% of their code, with Google estimating theirs at 75%.

Chesky also pointed out that managers would need to engage more deeply in technical work, emphasising that Airbnb won't have space for "pure people managers" or large numbers of inactive managers.

"I observe that many of our design and engineering leaders are revisiting coding or using Claude Code," he noted.

Yet, he refrained from discussing potential cuts in managerial positions, stating, "It's too early to determine how we might restructure our teams moving forward."

His remarks on the decreasing importance of solely managerial roles echo the trends seen among executives over the past few years, who are increasingly opting for streamlined management structures.

Consultancies such as McKinsey & Company advocate for the use of AI agents to optimise efficiency and minimize managerial dependency.

Coinbase disclosed a 14% reduction in its workforce on Tuesday, with CEO Brian Armstrong announcing, "We're simplifying our organisational framework to a maximum of five layers under the CEO/COO."