Reports on May 20, 2026, detailed podcast comments from Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky.
Chesky projects that traditional management roles lacking direct individual contribution will become obsolete due to artificial intelligence.
He advocates for a "hybrid people manager" or "manager IC" model.
Under this model, leadership authority stems from expertise and direct involvement rather than hierarchy.
Airbnb design and engineering leaders are currently returning to hands-on tasks like coding.
Artificial intelligence now generates a significant portion of the company's code.