OpenAI acquires AI travel agent company Odessia, and founder Francis Davidson will join OpenAI to explore applications of AI in travel.
On November 10, Odessia founder Francis Davidson revealed that OpenAI has acquired the one-year-old AI travel startup, and that he will also join OpenAI. The deal amount and specific terms have not been disclosed; the transaction is closer to an acqui-hire centered on talent and team. OpenAI later confirmed the appointment but has not yet announced related product plans.
Odessia was founded by Davidson and focuses on AI travel agent services. It raised a $6 million seed round led by Sequoia Capital and launched an AI travel agent platform about five months ago. According to Davidson, the platform had helped early users plan millions of dollars’ worth of trips, and the related tools have now been shut down.
Davidson previously founded the accommodation platform Sonder in 2014 and grew it into a unicorn with annual revenue of $143 million, but the company ultimately filed for bankruptcy and dissolved after its partnership with Marriott International fell apart. Joining OpenAI also gives him a new opportunity to re-enter the travel technology sector.
OpenAI said travel is one of the areas ChatGPT users frequently ask about. About 1.2 billion people use ChatGPT each week for everyday help, including itinerary planning. Previously, OpenAI listed travel as a potential use case in the ChatGPT agent released in July 2025 and established partnerships with travel platforms such as Booking.com, Expedia, and KAYAK. The acquisition further signals that OpenAI is exploring AI travel services and reflects how AI agents are extending into specific consumer and daily-life service scenarios.
