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Skift
5 hours ago
- Skift
What if Airbnb Builds the Killer AI Travel Search App?
Airbnb is hiring an engineer for an AI-powered natural language search product. If the tech delivers, it could create new creative pressure in shaping how people choose where to go and stay. Airbnb is preparing to rebuild its internal search engine with generative AI at the core. In a recent job posting for a search infrastructure engineer, the company outlined plans for a 'next generation search platform' designed to support 'generative AI (large language model) use cases.' Candidates with expertise in search and recommendation systems are encouraged to apply, and experience with GenAI or LLMs is listed as a preferred qualification. Search is one of the most critical components of Airbnb's business. It determines how guests discover homes and experiences, and how hosts reach customers. And while Airbnb has not made any public announcements about an AI-native search product, the technical scope and job description point to ambitions beyond incremental improvements. The listing suggests Airbnb is looking to reconstruct its core search product to accommodate AI. The new platform is described as one that will 'power different products at Airbnb,' suggesting that generative AI could become a foundational layer across the company's marketplace. In response to a request for comment, an Airbnb spokesperson said the company is 'always working to enhance the overall Airbnb experience' and is 'actively seeking talented individuals who share our mission to transform the way people travel.' Give Me a Room With a View If Airbnb succeeds in launching a functional AI-powered search system, the move could change how travelers interact with the platform. Traditional travel search engines rely on structured inputs: location, dates, price filters, and a fixed set of amenities. Generative AI has the potential to interpret natural language queries, understand user context, and return relevant results with fewer steps and less manual sorting. For example, instead of filtering by location and bedroom count, a guest might enter a query such as 'a quiet place in the mountains with fast Wi-Fi, a hot tub, and a view' – and receive listings that match even if the keywords don't align exactly. Several other travel companies have begun integrating AI tools into their platforms, including chat-based trip planning assistants and personalization features. When Data is King But Airbnb may be in a stronger position than some of its competitors to make that shift. The company has access to a large volume of structured and unstructured data: millions of listings with detailed attributes, user-generated reviews, booking behavior, search history, and messaging between hosts and guests. This data could support the training or fine-tuning of models capable of delivering more personalized and accurate search outcomes. Airbnb also owns its entire supply-side platform. Unlike online travel agencies that depend on inventory from third-party providers and hotel chains, Airbnb's listings are user-generated and directly managed on its system. That vertical integration provides a cleaner dataset and more flexibility in how results are ranked and surfaced, key advantages for any machine learning application. The introduction of a new AI-native search system could also create competitive pressure in the broader travel sector. Google, Booking Holdings, and Expedia Group have all made recent announcements about generative AI experiments, including itinerary generation and trip planning tools. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has previously hinted at AI's potential role in product discovery, referring in past earnings calls to a vision of Airbnb as a kind of intelligent travel concierge. A generative AI system could take that vision further, allowing for contextual, conversational discovery that adapts to different user intents in real time. The company has not disclosed what timeline it is working toward, what specific models it may be using, or whether it intends to partner with external AI vendors or develop proprietary solutions. The job posting does not mention OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or any of the major LLM providers by name. Beyond the Short-Term Rental What if Airbnb is thinking bigger than site search? There's a huge world of travel beyond short-term rental listings and its new experiences product. Airbnb's focus on design and its ability to attract talent put it in a position to compete in ways that other travel brands can't. Chesky also has a strong relationship with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. They've known each other since the 2000s, first at Y Combinator, the startup accelerator. And Altman has talked about the counsel Chesky gave him at OpenAI. Airbnb has always had ambitions beyond booking a room, and the focus on AI search will help it compete against players like Expedia when it comes to airline search or any other part of the travel journey.
Forbes
7 hours ago
- Forbes
Japan's Fast-Growing Wine Market Embraces Natural Wine
Carefully grown Japanese wine grapes. Japanese wine is gaining momentum. As of 2024, there were 493 wineries in Japan, jumping from 238 in 2008—more than doubled in 16 years, according to the Japanese government. The wineries are now in 46 prefectures out of the total 47, indicating that each prefecture has potential for wine production. Some American importers have already noticed the rapid development of Japanese wine. One of them is Direct Import Vines (D-I Wine) a natural wine importer in New York, 'What we love about Japan's wine is how it reflects the country's deep dedication to craft, precision and subtlety. The same meticulous attention to detail that defines Japanese cuisine and design shows up in the vineyards and cellars, with winemakers carefully coaxing out dedicated, expressive flavors from native grapes like Koshu and Muscat Bailey A," says D-I Wine's founder Bretton Taylor. The company started to import Japanese wine in 2021 and now has a portfolio of 8 wineries in 5 different regions. A variety of wine that reflects Japanese terroir. One of them is Coco Farm & Winery It was founded in 1958 by educator Noboru Kawada to provide meaningful work for individuals with learning disabilities. All wines are made with grapes grown in Japan and no chemical fertilizers or herbicides are used in its vineyards; natural wild yeast is the main fermentation method in the winery. Coco Farm's wine has been highly acclaimed. It has been served at G7 summits and on Japan Airlines' first and business classes, for example. 'We started to have increasingly more export inquiries from overseas in the past few years. They seem to be interested in Japanese wine's clear, delicate expression of the grapes, often with gentle umami, which goes well with Japanese food as well as other various types of cuisine,' says Shoko Ochi, director of communication at Coco Farm. 'Within Japan, there is a wide range of micro-terroir. The farms we work with beautifully express it,' she says. To showcase the diversity and the character of each micro-terroir, Coco Farm procures grapes from reliable natural grape growers nationwide, in addition to its own vineyards in Tochigi, Yamagata and Hokkaido Prefectures. As a result, the company makes wine with around 30 different varieties, such as Japanese native Muscat Bailey A, Southern French grape Tannat and global grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. For instance, Coco Farm's 2019 Zweigelt has distinctive characters. Made with the Austrian grape variety grown in the cool climate of Hokkaido, it has notes of cassis, black cherry and cinnamon with some peppery spiciness. There is subtle earthiness in the finish, which makes the wine uniquely Japanese. Coco Farm & Winery makes wine with grapes from its vineyards painstakingly cared for by hand. Reasons Behind The Rapid Growth Of The Wine Industry Why has Japanese wine production seen such a dramatic surge? One of the reasons is the creation of the special wine districts by the Japanese government in 2002. Within the wine districts, the minimum production volumes of 6,000 kiloliters for wineries are lowered to 2,000 kiloliters, as long as the products are made with grapes grown in the region. The new law made it much easier to start a winery at a lower cost. Also, in 2003, the Japan Wine Competition began, where wine made with 100% grapes grown and vinified in Japan is evaluated and ranked by a committee of wine professionals and academics. It is organized by major wine-producing prefectures and the Japanese government to recognize the quality of Japanese wine. The annual competition has shown a wide range of high-quality products and inspired wineries nationwide to aim for higher goals. Also, Japanese wine started to receive top awards at the world's biggest wine competitions, such as the IWSC International Wine & Spirit Competition, the Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge. The success in the global market has also stimulated new entries into wine production in Japan. Dynamic Natural Wine Market If you like natural wine, Japanese wine is something you should keep your eye on. 'In Tokyo, one of the world's most dynamic wine markets, sommeliers, chefs and wine lovers not just enjoy natural wine. They celebrate it,' says Taylor of D-I Wine. 'As a natural wine importer, our biggest competition is Japan. We find some very small vineyards in France that say they won't export, with the exception of their Japanese importers—because they are very important customers for French winemakers. Whenever we tour or try to discover new wineries in France, the Japanese importers have already been there. Sometimes they are discovering French wines that the Parisians haven't discovered yet.' To reflect Japanese importers' enthusiasm and hard work, consumers are interested in natural wine. A 2024 survey of 1,500 individuals between 20 and 70 years old, 50% male and female respectively, 23.1% of the respondents were interested in drinking natural wine. Interestingly, only 15.7% of the respondents said they wanted to drink organic/biodynamic wine, suggesting consumers are attracted to natural wine's diverse styles and genuine expression of terroir. There are no data on how many natural wine producers like Coco Farm exist in Japan, but an online natural wine shop lists 350 natural wine labels made in Japan, for example. The number is small, but it suggests that the natural wine segment has established its own place in the domestic market. Japanese natural wine seems to have the potential to stand out in the global market as well. 'Japanese wine is still relatively new on the international stage, but it's already carving out a unique identity—one that feels deeply tied to place, tradition, and innovation all at once. What excites us most is the way Japanese winemakers are blending native varieties like Muscat Bailey A and Koshu with modern, low-intervention techniques and a cultural approach rooted in precision and humility,' he says. The results are wines that are subtle but expressive, often with lower alcohol, clear umami, and a real sense of atmosphere. 'They are the wines that whisper, not shout. It's a category that rewards attention and curiosity, and we think it's only just getting started,' says Taylor. Diverse terrain makes Japanese wine unique.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Nevoya's $9.3M Bet on AI-powered electric trucks
Nevoya, an all-electric trucking company, has secured $9.3 million in seed financing led by Lowercarbon Capital, with participation from Floating Point, LMNT Ventures, and existing investors Third Sphere, Stepchange, and Never Lift. The San Francisco-based company recently announced the funding as it looks to position itself to redefine logistics through AI and workflow automation. The investment comes as the global electric truck market is projected to reach $125 billion by 2030. For Nevoya, it looks to demonstrate that zero-emissions trucking can outperform traditional diesel operations both environmentally and economically. 'We don't just move freight—we embed ourselves in our customers' operations, uncovering insights that others miss,' said Sami Khan, co-founder and CEO of Nevoya, in the release. 'This customer-centric approach drives our technology development, ensuring the transition to zero-emissions trucking is seamless.' Nevoya uses a proprietary AI-powered Transportation Management System (TMS) to turn the complexity of zero-emissions trucking into a competitive advantage. Part of this comes through intelligent orchestration, predictive operations, real-time visibility, and continuous optimization. Unlike traditional carriers that retrofit electric vehicles (EVs) into existing operations, Nevoya was built from the ground up for EV operations. 'Nevoya is an AI-orchestrated, electric-first freight carrier that's already outperforming legacy diesel trucking economics, and we're betting they'll scale faster too,' said Shawn Xu, partner at Lowercarbon Capital, in the release. Nevoya plans to use the funding to accelerate expansion into new freight corridors and markets, enhance its TMS platform, accelerate partnerships with industry leaders, and scale its team across sales, customer success, engineering, and operations. The company notes that in just six months, it has onboarded Fortune 500 customers and leading 3PLs, as it looks to demonstrate that zero-emissions freight can be cost-competitive while at the same time delivering superior and reliable service. Kodiak Robotics appoints former Cruise executive Mo Elshenawy to board of directors Kodiak Robotics, a provider of AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology, recently announced the appointment of Mohamed 'Mo' Elshenawy to its board of directors. Elshenawy, who previously served as president and chief technology officer at Cruise LLC, brings more than two decades of experience in AI, product development and engineering across autonomous mobility, e-commerce, cloud infrastructure and healthcare sectors. The appointment comes as Kodiak prepares to become a publicly listed company through a business combination with Ares Acquisition Corporation II. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025. 'Mo guided Cruise through critical phases of technology and operational development, and helped manage Cruise's integration into a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors,' said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak, in a press release. 'His expertise in technology platform transformation, expanding world-class engineering organizations, and deploying AI into real-world operations will be invaluable as we scale our product deployment.' While at Cruise, Elshenawy led the transformation of the company's autonomous vehicle programs, launching and scaling the first commercial driverless rideshare service in San Francisco and expanding operations to multiple U.S. cities. He currently serves as chief technology officer at Hims & Hers Health, Inc., where he focuses on building a next-generation healthcare platform powered by AI. 'Kodiak has a deep history of the kind of focused, pragmatic innovation that's needed to bring autonomous trucking to scale,' said Elshenawy. 'I'm excited to support such an innovative company as they advance a category-defining platform built on safety, performance, and real-world impact.' Elshenawy joins recent board additions Ken Goldman, a seasoned financial executive, and Kristin Sverchek, president of Lyft, as Kodiak strengthens its leadership team. Upon completion of the business combination, the company will be renamed Kodiak AI, Inc. You're halfway there! To read the rest of the Truck Tech newsletter, subscribe below. It'll be delivered to your inbox every Friday at 11am eastern. While you're at it, check out this week's episode. The post Nevoya's $9.3M Bet on AI-powered electric trucks appeared first on FreightWaves. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
