U.S. brings Airbnb co-founder into government

03-09-25

The United States government has taken an unprecedented step by appointing Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, as the country’s first Chief Design Officer (CDO), a position recently created through a presidential decree. This decision aims to modernize federal digital services through the establishment of a new body: the National Design Studio (NDS), under the White House, tasked with driving the “America by Design” initiative (X, formerly Twitter).

After stepping down from his operational responsibilities at Airbnb in 2022, Gebbia embraced the challenge of applying his expertise in user-centered design to the public sector. His mission is ambitious: to overhaul up to 26,000 federal websites, many of which were developed in a fragmented manner or remain outdated, so that they provide an experience as seamless, aesthetic, and functional as the Apple App Store. The government estimates that only 6% of government portals currently receive good ratings for mobile performance, while nearly half are not optimized for mobile devices.

Gebbia, who had already collaborated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in modernizing the federal retirement system, will now expand that work. His focus on holistic design will take shape through the NDS, with the mission of implementing consistent visual standards, cutting duplicate costs, and advising other agencies on design practices.

The CDO will report directly to the White House Chief of Staff and lead a temporary team with both public and private vocation, joined by designers and external professionals from diverse fields. His mandate includes prioritizing those digital and physical services that directly impact citizens’ daily lives, such as IRS procedures, Social Security, passport renewals, or immigration processes.

On social media, Gebbia stated that his guiding principle is to “update government services so they feel as satisfying as the Apple Store: with attractive design, great user experience, and modern software,” seeking to deliver an experience that both projects national excellence and simplifies the lives of everyday Americans.

The expected results of this transformation are set to materialize by July 4, 2026, a symbolic date that coincides with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. The NDS is planned as a three-year initiative, after which it will close its doors, according to the presidential decree.

The significance of this appointment goes beyond technical matters. The inclusion of Gebbia—whose background spans global design and the digital economy—within the executive branch represents a strong recognition of design as a strategic tool of governance. As specialized media have highlighted, his appointment places “human-centered design at the core of public service.”

Joe Gebbia will lead one of the most ambitious digital reforms of the U.S. government in decades, aimed at transforming the interaction between state and citizens. Through the National Design Studio, under the umbrella of “America by Design,” his work will not only modernize outdated digital platforms but also seek to restore trust and efficiency in the public sector’s interfaces. The challenge is immense—both in scale and in impact—but if successful, it could permanently redefine how the government presents itself to the user, in a model of service that is more accessible, aesthetic, and user-centered.

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