Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi plans to transform the ride-hailing platform into a comprehensive travel services app, according to a recent interview with The Verge.
Speaking on the Decoder podcast, Khosrowshahi revealed that Uber is expanding beyond rides to include hotel bookings through a new partnership with Expedia. The company is also testing services such as personal shopping and in-car food and beverage delivery.
Khosrowshahi described the company's goal as becoming an "everything app." This expansion aims to capture more of the user experience before third-party AI chatbots can automate travel bookings.
AI impact on development and hiring
The ride-hailing giant is also navigating the heavy costs of integrating large language models into its infrastructure. The Verge reported that Uber’s CTO noted the company had already exhausted its entire annual token budget by early April.
This surge in AI usage is forcing Khosrowshahi to rethink the company's human resources strategy. The CEO is reassessing how quickly the company will hire new staff as the cost of processing AI tokens increases.
Beyond hiring, the company is examining how AI-driven coding tools and agentic systems change the traditional roles of software engineers, designers, and product managers. The shift follows a broader industry trend where AI-assisted development is altering software creation workflows.
Khosrowshahi also addressed the company's growing footprint in autonomous vehicle technology, specifically highlighting significant investments in Rivian. As the technology evolves toward full automation, the company faces the long-term challenge of managing its driver workforce in a future dominated by robots.
