Airbnb, the global online platform for short and long-term rentals, has announced the appointment of James Manyika, a senior vice president at Google and a renowned artificial intelligence (AI) expert, to its board of directors.
Manyika, who holds a PhD in AI and robotics from Oxford University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Zimbabwe, has been advising Airbnb since 2018 on the impact of technology on society and business.
He is also the former director of the McKinsey Global Institute, where he led research on global economic and technology trends. He serves on several academic and scientific boards, including the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and the University of Oxford.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said he was thrilled to have Manyika join the board, especially when AI is reshaping society and creating new opportunities and challenges for the company.
“It’s inevitable that AI will reshape society and have a profound impact on our business. With James joining our board, we’ll continue to benefit from his guidance as we embark on the dawn of this new technological revolution,” Chesky said in a statement.
Manyika said he was inspired by Airbnb’s vision of bridging people and cultures around the world and was honored to join the board and its stakeholder committee, which oversees the company’s social and environmental impact.
“I’m looking forward to working with the entire Airbnb team to build for the future in a way that benefits hosts, guests, and communities everywhere,” he said.
Manyika’s appointment comes amid a surge in cyberattacks on online platforms, including Airbnb, which reported a data breach in February that exposed some users’ personal information. The company said it notified the affected users and enhanced its security measures.
Airbnb is one of many tech giants that has tapped AI experts for its board. In January, Amazon appointed Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo’s former CEO and an AI ethics advocate, to its board. Facebook added Robert M. Kimmitt, a former deputy secretary of the US Treasury and an expert on digital currency regulation, to its board in March.
Source: New Zimbabwe
