Published on: November 12, 2026
OpenAI has acquired Odessia, an AI-powered travel startup founded by Francis Davidson, who will join the company to contribute to its work on the future of travel. Davidson confirmed the development through a public announcement, although the financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.
The transaction appears to be primarily focused on bringing Davidson and his expertise into OpenAI. In his announcement, he discussed building Odessia by coordinating teams of AI agents to develop its travel-planning capabilities.
Founded approximately a year ago, Odessia raised $6 million in pre-seed funding through a round led by Sequoia. The startup introduced its AI travel assistant around five months ago and reportedly helped early users plan travel worth millions of dollars. However, following the acquisition, its service has been discontinued.
An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed Davidson’s appointment, stating, “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.”
While OpenAI has not outlined any specific plans for travel-focused products, the company already works with businesses such as Booking.com, Expedia and KAYAK. Travel planning is also among the use cases for which people increasingly turn to AI assistants. When OpenAI introduced ChatGPT agent in July 2025, it highlighted travel planning as one of its potential applications.
The company also acknowledged the growing use of ChatGPT for travel-related queries. Its spokesperson said, “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.”
Davidson brings considerable experience in the travel and hospitality sector. Before launching Odessia, he co-founded Sonder in 2014 while still a college student. The company operated a short-term rental business focused on upscale apartments in major cities worldwide, following a model similar to Airbnb.
Sonder experienced significant financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the company later went public through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), it struggled to secure sufficient funding. Davidson eventually stepped down as CEO in June 2025.
The company’s difficulties continued after its partnership with Marriott fell through, eventually leading to bankruptcy and the closure of its operations. In 2026, Sonder’s name, trademarks and website domain were sold to TravelAI, which now operates the website as a curated travel accommodation guide.
Before its collapse, Sonder had achieved unicorn status, with annual revenue exceeding $600 million. Davidson’s latest move to OpenAI marks his return to the travel technology space, this time through AI-powered travel solutions.
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