SAN FRANCISCO — Uber is expanding its use of artificial intelligence within the Uber Eats app with the launch of Cart Assistant, a new AI-powered feature designed to help users build grocery baskets faster and more efficiently.
The beta tool aims to streamline online grocery shopping by letting customers create a shopping cart from a typed list or uploaded image, including handwritten notes or recipe screenshots. The feature can be accessed by selecting a grocery store within the Uber Eats app and tapping a purple Cart Assistant icon shown on the store’s digital storefront.
According to Praveen Neppalli Naga, Uber's chief technology officer, the feature demonstrates the company’s focus on utilizing AI for practical, everyday tasks rather than experimental use cases.
How Cart Assistant Works
Cart Assistant is designed to move users from list creation to checkout in seconds. Key capabilities include:
- Text and image recognition: Users can type in a grocery list or upload a photo of a handwritten list or recipe ingredients.
- Automated item matching: The AI identifies relevant products available at the selected store and adds them to the basket.
- Real-time store integration: The system factors in item availability, store-level pricing, and applicable promotions.
- Personalized prioritization: Based on past orders, the feature surfaces frequently purchased items, such as preferred milk brands or staple pantry products.
- Editable baskets: Shoppers retain full control and can swap products or add additional items before checkout.
By incorporating historical order data and store-specific inventory, Cart Assistant aims to balance personalization with operational accuracy.
Focus on Practical AI Deployment
The launch marks an early step in deploying “agentic AI” within the Uber Eats ecosystem, according to Uber. Rather than introducing standalone AI tools, the company is embedding functionality directly into the app’s grocery workflow.
The initiative comes as digital grocery platforms compete on speed, convenience, and personalization. By reducing the number of taps needed to build a basket, Uber is positioning Cart Assistant as a quick shortcut for repeat grocery shoppers.
The feature is currently available in beta within the Uber Eats app, with Uber indicating that it will refine and expand the experience based on user feedback.
As grocery e-commerce continues to develop, Uber’s Cart Assistant highlights a rising focus on AI-powered basket creation and contextual automation as key differentiators in the on-demand retail market.
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