Airbnb Enters $7.1 Million AI Deal With Lab Founded by CEO Brian Chesky

04:59 AM EST, 11/06/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Airbnb (ABNB) has entered into a $7.1 million intellectual property and sales deal with a recently formed and privately held artificial intelligence lab, the company said in a regulatory filing Thursday. Under the agreement, the lab acquired intellectual property from Airbnb in exchange for $7.1 million, which also covered reimbursement of certain company expenses. Airbnb received a license to use the lab's intellectual property internally and the option to participate in its future equity financing rounds, the filing said. The AI lab, which was co-founded by Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky, who holds a controlling equity interest in the company, which included Ahmad Al-Dahle, Airbnb's chief technology officer, as a stakeholder. Chesky has thus far self-funded the AI lab and plans to continue financing it, The Information reported Thursday, citing a person with knowledge of the plans. The startup has for now incorporated under the name Kaboodle Labs, The Information reported, citing a California filing, but the name is temporary, the report said. Airbnb did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' request for comment.