Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia has made a surprising career move, joining President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) service. Gebbia, a close friend of Elon Musk and fellow billionaire, announced that he's been tasked with "improving the slow and paper-based retirement process," though the specifics of his involvement are unclear.

Gebbia's decision to join DOGE has sparked controversy among Airbnb users and hosts, with some threatening to boycott the service and calling for Airbnb to distance itself from the co-founder. This backlash is largely due to Gebbia's recent revelation that he had voted for Trump in the November elections, a move that surprised many given his previous donations to Democratic causes.

In his announcement, Gebbia expressed his enthusiasm for bringing his "designer brain and start-up spirit into the government" to improve the user experience within the government. However, it remains unclear whether his role at DOGE is a paid position. Gebbia remains a significant shareholder and board member of Airbnb, despite leaving his operating role at the company in 2022.

Gebbia's involvement in DOGE is likely linked to Elon Musk's criticism of the current retirement application processing system, which relies on manually checked paper records. A converted mine in Pennsylvania is currently used to store and process 400 million printed government documents, taking up 26,000 filing cabinets. The US Office of Personnel Management recently announced that it had processed an entire retirement application digitally for the first time, completing the task "without printing a single piece of paper" within two days, instead of the several weeks it usually takes.

The move has raised questions about the intersection of technology and government, with some hailing Gebbia's involvement as a potential catalyst for innovation in the public sector. However, others have expressed concerns about the influence of billionaires in shaping government policy and the potential conflicts of interest that may arise.

As Gebbia begins his new role, it remains to be seen how his involvement will impact the government's approach to digital transformation and user experience. One thing is certain, however: his decision to join DOGE has sparked a heated debate about the role of technology leaders in shaping the future of government services.

In the midst of this controversy, Airbnb users and hosts are left wondering how Gebbia's involvement in DOGE will affect the company's direction and values. As the situation unfolds, it will be important to monitor how Gebbia's new role impacts both the government and the private sector.