If you're considering renting a last minute Airbnb for a Halloween bash this weekend, you might want to think again.
This week, Airbnb announced its new anti-party system, which will use AI to prevent disruptive parties taking place in rentals this upcoming weekend.
Here's what to know:
Airbnb blocked 2,400 bookings in New Jersey last Halloween
Last year, Airbnb used a similar anti-party system after several Airbnb party incidents over previous holiday weekends. This deterred as many as 2,400 people in New Jersey alone from booking an entire home on Airbnb last year, according to the company.
In places like California and Florida — which have had major problems in the past with disruptive parties in Airbnbs — as many as 15,500 and 11,300 bookings, respectively, were blocked.
"While disruptive parties are rare, we want to try to reduce the risk of them even more," said Naba Banerjee, head of trust and safety at Airbnb. "Our AI anti-party system is an important tool in helping us to do that, and we're optimistic it will have a positive impact for our community and neighborhoods this Halloween."
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How does the new AI-driven system work?
To identify whether booking attempts for entire home listings are for a party, the system — which launched in the United States and Canada — will look at different signals that could indicate a higher risk for an incident.
If the booking is for a short period of time — one or two nights — and booked last minute, it could be flagged. Also, if a user lives within the same area of the listing, it could be another indication of a booking for a party.
Once a booking is identified as a possible risk, the AI system may block the user from making the reservation. For other guests looking to make a local Airbnb reservation, they'll be required to attest their understanding that Airbnb bans parties and that they'll face suspension or removal from the platform if they break the rule.
The party ban goes on long after Halloween
Airbnb introduced a global party ban in August 2020, which has resulted in a 55% year-over-two-year decrease in the rate of party reports. In 2022, only .039% of Airbnb reservations resulted in a party allegation globally.
The platform also has a 24-hour Safety Line for hosts and guests to reach Airbnb staff if they need help during a stay.
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Airbnb to use anti-party AI to deter Halloween parties