OpenAI Hires Odessia Founder Francis Davidson to Work on Travel

OpenAI has hired Francis Davidson, founder of AI travel startup Odessia, to work on the future of travel, according to Davidson's announcement of the deal. Davidson said in a post announcing the deal that he is now working for OpenAI, helping the AI lab with the future of travel. OpenAI confirmed the hire to TechCrunch. “We’re thrilled to welcome Francis to OpenAI. Francis is a proven founder who has built multiple businesses to help people travel, and we’re excited he’s chosen to build with us.”

The Deal

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. TechCrunch reported that the deal looks like an acqui-hire. Odessia was founded about a year ago and raised a $6 million pre-seed round led by Sequoia. The startup launched its AI travel agent around five months ago. Davidson said the platform had helped early adopters plan millions of dollars’ worth of travel, but the tool has already been shut down.

OpenAI’s Travel Plans

OpenAI has not announced new travel-specific products or plans. The company counts Booking.com, Expedia, and KAYAK as customers or partners. OpenAI said travel is one of the areas that chatbot users frequently ask about. “1.2 billion people turn to ChatGPT each week for help with everyday tasks — from understanding their health, figuring out what to make for dinner, building a budget, and even planning a trip. We see a real opportunity to make these experiences even more useful,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.

Davidson’s Background

Davidson founded Sonder in 2014 as a college student. The company offered short-term leasing of upscale apartments in major cities worldwide and grew into a unicorn with over $600 million in revenues. The pandemic badly hurt Sonder, and it went public via a SPAC but did not raise as much money as it needed. Davidson resigned as CEO in June 2025. When a key partnership with Marriott fell through, the company went into bankruptcy and wound down. The bankruptcy trustee sold Sonder’s name, trademarks, and website domain in 2026 to TravelAI.

Why it matters

Davidson’s move to OpenAI brings a founder with travel industry experience to the AI lab as it considers how to make travel planning more useful for ChatGPT users. OpenAI has not outlined specific plans for a travel-focused product.

---

Sources

• techcrunch.com: OpenAI acquires Odessia, travel startup created by Sonder founder | TechCrunch
• enterpriseai.economictimes.indiatimes.com: OpenAI Acquires Odessia: A Major Move in AI Travel Innovations with Sonder's Francis Davidson, ETEnterpriseai
• skift.com: OpenAI Acquires Odessia, the AI Travel Agent From Sonder's Co-Founder
• uk.finance.yahoo.com: OpenAI acquires Odessia, travel startup created by Sonder founder

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.