Does Airbnb's CEO Really Say Two Types of People Won't Survive AI?
TL;DR
Brian Chesky, Airbnb's co-founder and CEO, said on the Invest Like the Best podcast that two groups may struggle to adapt to AI: "pure people managers" and people who resist change. By pure people managers, he means leaders who only manage people, run meetings and one-on-ones, and don't get hands-on with the work. He wants managers to become hybrid people managers, or "manager ICs," who stay close to the product. He also believes AI tools are easy to learn for anyone with a growth mindset. TokenPost dates the interview to May 5, while Fortune published the story on May 7 and again on October 25.
- No coverage reviewed links Chesky's remarks to layoffs, and he presented an overall optimistic view of adapting to AI.
- The remarks reflect one CEO's opinion, and the coverage cited no supporting data.
A headline is making the rounds again: Airbnb's CEO says two kinds of workers "will not survive" the age of AI. At least one headline, judging by its web address, even adds the word layoffs. The quotes are real, but they are not new. Brian Chesky said them on a podcast in early May, and what he actually argued is narrower, and more hopeful, than the headlines suggest.
What Did Brian Chesky Actually Say About Who Won't Survive AI?
He named two groups, and both come down to willingness to change. The first is pure people managers. In his words, "I don't think people managers will have any value in the future." He clarified that he means managers who only manage people, such as acting as a team's therapist and running one-on-ones. The second group is rigid workers who do not want to evolve. His fix is simple: stay curious and learn the tools. Fortune reports he called them incredibly easy to master for anyone with a growth mindset.
When Did He Say It, and Why Is It Trending Again?
The comments are about five and a half months old. TokenPost reports Chesky said them on May 5, and Fortune's first story ran on May 7, followed by write-ups from Business Chief and AI Magazine that month. Fortune republished the piece on October 25, and its note says a version first appeared in May. The republished version lists Airbnb's value as $103 billion, up from $84.4 billion in May. Other outlets then picked it up this week. A Times of India headline, as seen in its web address, frames it as surviving "AI layoffs", but I could not open that article. Fortune's account of the remarks does not mention layoffs.
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Book a Free ConsultationWhat Is a "Hybrid People Manager" or "Manager IC"?
A leader who manages people and also does or deeply understands the work. Chesky said every higher-up will have to be a hybrid people manager, also called a manager IC, short for individual contributor. That means taking a more technical approach and staying involved in the "context" of the work. He cited former Apple design chief Jony Ive as someone who balanced product design with leading a team. Chesky also said relationships still matter: check-ins and dinners with direct reports are good, but supervising alone will not be enough.
How Does This Compare With What Other Leaders Say?
Mostly in agreement on adapting, but not on timing or severity:
Jensen Huang (Nvidia) has said workers will lose jobs to people who use AI, not to AI itself
Ted Sarandos (Netflix) has said AI will not replace great writers or performers, but people who use it well may win work
Dario Amodei (Anthropic) warned in 2025 that AI could disrupt half of entry-level white-collar work, though Fortune says his tune changed this year
Mustafa Suleyman (Microsoft) estimated most professional work could be replaced within 12 to 18 months
Public worry is real. Our coverage of American workers' skepticism of AI shows the mood, and Google's Jeff Dean offered Gen Z his own advice on AI.
What Should Managers and HR Teams Do With This?
Treat it as a prompt to review roles, not a verdict.
Audit manager roles: which depend only on coordination and status reporting, and which stay close to the work
Set hands-on expectations for leaders, such as using AI tools on real tasks
Fund AI training and measure adoption, since Chesky's point is willingness to learn
Avoid cutting managers on one CEO's opinion, since the coverage cites no data behind it
Our AI services team can help you plan AI adoption and role redesign with training and clear measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky say about AI and jobs?
Chesky said on the Invest Like the Best podcast that two types of people will not make the shift to AI: pure people managers and people who are rigid and resist change. He argued that managers who only manage people will lose value, and that every manager should become a hybrid who stays close to the work. He also said AI tools are easy to learn with a growth mindset.
When did Brian Chesky make these comments?
In early May 2026. TokenPost reports he spoke on May 5, and Fortune first published the story on May 7, 2026. Fortune republished it on October 25, 2026, with an updated Airbnb valuation and a note that a version ran in May. The remarks are not new this week, only newly recirculated.
What is a "pure people manager"?
Chesky uses it for leaders who only manage people, with no hands-on involvement in the work itself. His examples were managers who act as people's therapists and spend their time in meetings and one-on-ones. He says that role alone will not have value in an AI-driven company, though he still values good relationships with staff.
What is a "hybrid people manager" or "manager IC"?
A hybrid people manager, or manager IC, combines leadership with hands-on or technical contribution. Chesky says every leader will need to stay connected to the product and understand the context of the work. He cited Jony Ive as someone who balanced product design with team leadership. The idea is to manage people through the work, not around it.
Did Chesky say AI will cause layoffs at Airbnb?
Not in the coverage reviewed. Fortune's account of the remarks describes a warning about adapting, and does not discuss layoffs or Airbnb job cuts. At least one outlet's headline, as seen in its web address, uses the phrase "AI layoffs," but I could not open that article. Readers should rely on the original quotes, not the headline wording.
Is Chesky right that people managers will have no value?
It is his view, and no data was cited. The coverage reviewed gives no research on manager roles. His position is that managers who only manage people will lose value, which is a claim about the future, not a measured result. Leaders should treat it as a perspective to test against their own organization.
Who else says workers who ignore AI will be left behind?
Several leaders say similar things. Nvidia's Jensen Huang has said workers will lose jobs to people who use AI, not to AI itself. Netflix's Ted Sarandos said people who use AI well may take work from those who do not. Others, such as Microsoft's Mustafa Suleyman, have given more aggressive timelines for AI replacing professional work.
What should managers do about AI?
Stay close to the work and use the tools. Take on hands-on tasks where AI helps, learn the tools, and keep supporting your team. Chesky says relationships still matter, but supervising alone will not be enough. Organizations should offer training, set expectations, and measure adoption instead of assuming any role is safe or doomed.
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