AI's real question isn't whether AGI arrives

Ahmad Al-Dahle has been at the center of some of the biggest technology and societal shifts of the past two decades. He helped develop the early iPhone at Apple, spearheaded the open-source Llama models at Meta to help decentralize AI power and influence, and now serves as CTO of Airbnb, where he's using AI to help people spend more time in the real world. In this episode of The Deep View Conversations, we sat down with Ahmad to discuss Airbnb's vision for AI, why he believes AGI is coming, how AI agents are revolutionizing executive workflows, and why technology should ultimately help people spend less time with technology and more time having human experiences. Topics covered include: Why Ahmad left Apple after over 15 years How Airbnb is using AI to reimagine travel and drive more meaningful connections The future of open-source AI and the impact of Llama Why Ahmad believes AGI is inevitable and what comes next How AI agents are transforming leadership and productivity Lessons from working with Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Brian Chesky If you're a leader, AI builder, entrepreneur, investor, or anyone trying to understand where AI is headed beyond the hype, you don't want to miss this episode. Ahmad's insights on AGI, open models, AI agents, and the future of human connection make this one of the most thoughtful discussions we've had on the show. TIMELINE 0:00 Introduction 4:51 Travel experiences that shaped Ahmad 7:13 Getting married in an Airbnb 8:42 What Ahmad is building at Airbnb 13:54 Airbnb's applied AI approach 20:13 Better trip planning with AI 24:49 Ahmad's path from Waterloo to Apple 27:13 Building early iPhone prototypes 29:33 Why Ahmad left Apple 31:12 Open models and Llama 32:55 AGI and the societal consequences 34:36 Learning from Brian Chesky's leadership 36:31 How AI changes a leader's time 38:36 Starting work from AI tools 42:15 How to start using AI Subscribe to Deep View Conversations for interviews with the leaders shaping the future of AI, business, and technology. And don't forget to sign up for The Deep View daily newsletter. We don’t just cover AI, we decode it. In a world flooded with hype, we deliver sharp, no-nonsense insights to keep you ahead of the curve and help you put AI to work every day: subscribe.thedeepview.com