Airbnb appoints Ahmad Al-Dahle as chief technology officer, betting on AI leadership to shape technology that strengthens real-world human connections.
Airbnb has appointed Ahmad Al-Dahle as its new chief technology officer, according to an internal memo shared Tuesday by co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky.
Al-Dahle, a prominent figure in artificial intelligence, joins Airbnb from Meta, where he led the company’s generative AI efforts and oversaw the development of the Llama family of open-source models. Chesky described the hire as a pivotal move for Airbnb as it looks to shape how AI is integrated into travel and human connection.
“Ahmad is one of the world’s leading experts in AI,” Chesky wrote to employees. “He connects big ideas with technical depth, deeply values design, and believes engineering should be a true strategic partner in everything we do.”
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Al-Dahle grew up in Winnipeg, Canada, where an early fascination with computers and video games sparked his interest in programming. He studied engineering at the University of Waterloo and began working at Apple in 2005, while still a student—two years before the iPhone’s debut.
During more than a decade at Apple, Al-Dahle worked on foundational technologies including the iPhone’s display and multitouch systems, contributed to core platform features across multiple devices, and played a role in the development of the first Apple Watch. In 2014, he founded and led Apple’s autonomous systems group, responsible for key AI technologies underpinning the company’s self-driving car initiative.
He joined Meta in 2020 to lead mapping and applied AI within Reality Labs. In early 2023, following the release of ChatGPT, Al-Dahle founded Meta’s generative AI group. Under his leadership, Meta launched the Llama family, which has been downloaded more than one billion times and spawned tens of thousands of derivative models. He also oversaw the integration of AI features across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Chesky framed Al-Dahle’s arrival within a broader philosophical challenge facing technology companies. In his message, he argued that while digital platforms have reshaped daily life, they have also pulled people away from authentic, real-world experiences.
“In a world becoming more artificial, people are craving what’s real,” Chesky wrote. “No company is better positioned than Airbnb to meet that need.”
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Al-Dahle, who lives in the Bay Area, will work primarily from Airbnb’s San Francisco office. He and his wife, Whitney, are parents to three-year-old twin daughters. Chesky noted a personal connection between the executive and the company: Al-Dahle and his wife were married at an Airbnb property.
Chesky said Al-Dahle shares Airbnb’s belief that technology should serve people, not replace human connection. “This isn’t just a technical challenge,” he wrote. “It’s a human one.”
Al-Dahle will be formally introduced to employees at Airbnb’s upcoming global meeting.
