Uber Eats Introduces AI-Powered Cart Assistant to Streamline Grocery Shopping

Uber Eats has launched a new AI feature called “Cart Assistant” aimed at simplifying and speeding up grocery shopping for its users. The feature is currently available in beta within the Uber Eats app. To use Cart Assistant, customers select a grocery store and tap the purple Cart Assistant icon on the store’s page. They can then input a shopping list by typing, uploading an image of a handwritten list, or a screenshot of a recipe with ingredients. The AI will automatically add the listed items to the user’s cart. Shoppers can further customize their basket by substituting preferred brands or adding additional products. The system also leverages users’ previous orders to prioritize commonly purchased items, enhancing personalization. Uber Eats CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga said the tool was developed in response to user feedback seeking faster shopping experiences. The introduction of Cart Assistant positions Uber Eats to better compete with other delivery services integrating AI chatbots, such as Instacart’s ChatGPT-powered search and DoorDash’s DashAI. Both Uber Eats and DoorDash have also integrated ChatGPT technology to improve food ordering workflows. Bloomberg reported in 2023 that Uber Eats was developing an AI chatbot to assist users with budget and food preferences. Beyond Cart Assistant, Uber Eats is investing in AI tools for merchants, including AI-generated menu descriptions, enhanced food photography, and review summaries.

Read more: techcrunch.com