Airbnb and Anysphere, the company behind the AI coding platform Cursor, are facing scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers over their use of artificial intelligence models developed by Chinese companies. According to a report by Semafor, two Republican-led House committees have launched a joint investigation into these firms, sending letters to their CEOs demanding detailed information about their adoption of Chinese AI technologies.
Committees Seek Answers on AI Model Choices
The House Homeland Security Committee and the House China Select Committee have jointly dispatched letters to the chief executives of Airbnb and Anysphere. The correspondence requests specifics on which Chinese AI models are being utilized, the rationale behind selecting these models, and any communications with Chinese AI companies. The letters are signed by the committees' Republican chairs, Representative John Moolenaar of Michigan and Representative Andrew Garbarino of New York.
The report indicates that the committees may summon employees from both companies to provide further details during an in-person briefing. Lawmakers have expressed concerns about potential national security risks associated with sharing extensive data with Chinese AI firms, which often offer cheaper and open-source alternatives compared to their American counterparts.
Lawmakers Voice Security Concerns
Representative Moolenaar told Semafor, “The AI models these companies use are trained by China’s censorship regime and introduce hidden vulnerabilities that put Americans’ data and businesses at risk.” This statement underscores the growing unease in Washington regarding the use of Chinese technology by prominent U.S. companies.
Airbnb's Use of Alibaba's Qwen Model
In December 2025, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky revealed that the company relies heavily on Alibaba's Qwen AI model for its customer service operations. Speaking about the decision, Chesky explained that Airbnb did not integrate with OpenAI's ChatGPT because the connective tools were not yet ready. “We’re relying a lot on Alibaba’s Qwen model. It’s very good. It’s also fast and cheap,” he said. He added that while Airbnb uses OpenAI's latest models, they are not frequently deployed in production due to the availability of faster and cheaper alternatives.
Relationship with OpenAI and Future Plans
Chesky, who is a close friend of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, noted that Airbnb will monitor the development of ChatGPT's app integrations and may consider a partnership in the future. He emphasized that because Airbnb is a community with verified members, OpenAI would need to build a platform robust enough for Airbnb's app to function within the ChatGPT chatbot in a nearly self-contained manner.
Recent Airbnb Feature Updates
In December 2025, Airbnb introduced a new feature allowing guests to share their Airbnb profile with other travelers after booking an experience. Users who have participated in the same tours can now directly message one another, with privacy safeguards in place. The conversation can only continue if the recipient accepts a message request, according to Airbnb.
The investigation into these companies highlights the ongoing debate in the United States about balancing technological innovation with national security, particularly when it comes to the adoption of foreign AI technologies.
