OpenAI Acquires Odessia, the Travel Startup Founded by Sonder’s Founder
OpenAI has acquired Odessia, an AI travel startup founded by Francis Davidson, who says he has joined the company to help shape the future of travel. OpenAI confirmed Davidson’s hire, but has not disclosed the deal’s terms or announced any travel-specific products.
Odessia was founded about a year ago and raised a $6 million pre-seed round led by Sequoia. Its AI travel-planning tool launched roughly five months ago and, according to Davidson, helped early users plan trips worth millions of dollars. The service has since shut down. The acquisition appears to be an acqui-hire, though OpenAI has not characterized it that way.
OpenAI says people often use ChatGPT for everyday tasks, including trip planning, and sees an opportunity to make those experiences more useful. The company already works with travel businesses such as Booking.com, Expedia, and KAYAK, and previously described travel as a possible use for its ChatGPT agent.
Davidson is a familiar name in the travel industry. He founded Sonder in 2014, building it into a short-term rental company specializing in upscale apartments in major cities. The business reached unicorn status and reported $143 million in revenue, but struggled during the pandemic. After going public through a SPAC, Sonder faced financial pressures, and Davidson stepped down as CEO in 2025.
The company later filed for bankruptcy after a key partnership with Marriott fell apart. Its name, trademarks, and domain were sold to TravelAI in 2026.
Davidson’s experience building both Sonder and Odessia gives OpenAI a seasoned travel entrepreneur as it explores how AI could help people plan trips. What the company intends to build in the space remains unclear.
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