Airbnb's CEO says AI writes 60% of the company's code — and makes managers get their hands dirty

In a recent earnings call, Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky revealed a transformative trend within the company—AI is now responsible for generating nearly 60% of the code produced by their engineering teams. This significant integration of artificial intelligence is enabling Airbnb to enhance its operations, allowing teams to roll out new features and iterate at an accelerated pace. Chesky's comments come amidst a broader industry trend where executives are increasingly highlighting the role of AI in software development. For instance, Shopify's president noted that 50% of their code is AI-generated, while Google claims an impressive 75%. Chesky emphasized that this shift is prompting not only engineers but also managers to engage more directly with coding tasks. He stated that there’s no longer a place for traditional roles characterized by purely managerial functions at Airbnb. He explained, "I'm observing many of our design and engineering managers returning to coding or utilizing tools like Claude Code," indicating a push towards a more hands-on approach in management. However, he refrained from discussing potential layoffs or structural changes related to managerial positions, acknowledging that it’s too soon to determine future team configurations. Chesky's remarks align with a growing trend among corporate leaders who advocate for flatter organizational structures by reducing management layers. Consulting firms like McKinsey & Company have also recommended leveraging AI to streamline operations and minimize the necessity for numerous managerial roles. In a related move, Coinbase recently announced a 14% workforce reduction to simplify its organizational hierarchy, with CEO Brian Armstrong highlighting a commitment to a more streamlined structure beneath the top leadership.