OpenAI acquires AI travel agent Odessia, founded by Sonder co-founder Francis Davidson
Davidson announced the deal on Tuesday and says he will join OpenAI to focus on the future of travel; terms were not disclosed and it is not yet clear whether Odessia keeps operating on its own.
Why it matters
The deal gives OpenAI its own travel team instead of relying only on partners: Booking.com and Expedia were among the first apps inside ChatGPT when OpenAI opened its app platform in October 2025. Skift reads the purchase as buying a team that built a working AI travel agent in months, plus a founder who ran a lodging company for a decade. It follows OpenAI's Business Hub launch the same day. Watch for what OpenAI ships in ChatGPT travel booking and how online travel agencies respond.
Key facts
- OpenAI acquired Odessia, announced 10 Nov 2026
- Founder Francis Davidson co-founded Sonder
- Davidson joins OpenAI to focus on the future of travel
- Terms were not disclosed
- Odessia launched less than a year before the deal
- Booking.com and Expedia joined ChatGPT apps in October 2025