Uber enables outstanding on-demand experiences with AI

Our new Executive Function series features perspectives from leaders driving transformation through AI.

Uber⁠(opens in a new window) is a global mobility and delivery platform powering tens of millions of on-demand trips per day. We spoke with Uber’s Jai Malkani, Global Head of Product, Customer Obsession, about using AI in areas like empathetic and efficient customer support interactions, intelligent automation, and augmenting human agent capabilities.

Uber is one of the largest mobility and delivery platforms in the world. Why is AI important and how does it fit into Uber’s broader strategy?

Uber facilitates billions of rides and deliveries for various marketplace participants, such as riders, drivers, Uber Eats customers, merchants, and businesses. AI is crucial to personalizing and optimizing these interactions. It helps us solve complex challenges unique to Uber as we operate at the intersection of the digital and physical worlds.

Our AI models give nuanced insight into user needs, reduce friction in the Uber app, and create adaptive services that evolve in real time. As a result, we’re better able to operate at unprecedented scale with accuracy, reliability, and efficiency. We are all living in incredibly exciting times. With the advent of generative AI, we’re extending our capabilities in ways we’re just beginning to explore.

Uber operates a multi-sided marketplace, balancing the needs of consumers, drivers, and merchants. How is AI applied to address the unique needs of these groups?

Uber’s marketplace is incredibly complex. It spans multiple segments: from our two-sided mobility platform connecting riders and drivers, to Uber Eats' three-way interaction between eaters, couriers, and restaurants, to our grocery service which coordinates between consumers, couriers, shoppers, and merchants.

We tailor our AI strategy for each segment: 

“Where AI becomes so important [...] is it enables us to personalize and optimize all these interactions.”

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