Google's AI assistant automates Uber and food orders - AI News Today Recency

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📅 Published: 2/25/2026
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 7:51:09 PM
📊 10 updates
⏱️ 9 min read
📱 This article updates automatically every 10 minutes with breaking developments

I need to clarify that the search results provided do not support the headline "Google's AI assistant automates Uber and food orders." The search results exclusively discuss Uber's own AI Cart Assistant, not a Google AI tool. Writing an article based on the inaccurate headline would misrepresent the facts.

However, I can write an accurate, SEO-optimized news article based on what the search results actually contain:

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Uber Eats Launches AI Cart Assistant to Revolutionize Grocery Shopping

Uber has unveiled a game-changing AI Cart Assistant that transforms how customers shop for groceries by automatically building shopping carts from simple text or image prompts. The new feature, which rolled out in beta on Wednesday across the Uber Eats platform, marks a significant step forward in bringing artificial intelligence directly into everyday consumer workflows, allowing users to skip the tedious process of browsing digital aisles and get from idea to checkout in seconds.[1][2]

How Uber's AI Cart Assistant Works

The Cart Assistant enables customers to input grocery requests in multiple formats—typing out a shopping list, uploading a photo of a handwritten note, or even sharing a screenshot of a recipe.[1] The AI system then generates a complete, ready-to-checkout grocery cart by analyzing the input and cross-referencing real-time data on product availability, pricing, and the user's previous purchase history.[1]

Users access the feature by selecting a grocery store within the Uber Eats app and tapping the purple Cart Assistant icon on the store's page.[1][2] After the AI builds the initial cart, customers maintain full control to modify quantities, swap items for different brands, or make any other adjustments before completing their purchase.[1]

Expanding Availability Across Major Grocery Chains

The Cart Assistant is already integrated with dozens of major retail partners, including Safeway, Albertsons, Kroger, Aldi, Sprouts Farmers Market, Wegmans, and FreshDirect, with additional partners coming soon.[4][5] The feature is currently available on iOS, with an Android version expected to launch in the near future.[1]

This widespread rollout signals Uber's commitment to embedding AI functionality directly into the everyday shopping experience rather than offering it as a standalone tool.[3] The integration with established grocery chains demonstrates how major retailers are embracing AI to streamline customer experience and reduce friction in the purchasing process.

Uber's Broader AI Strategy and Competitive Landscape

The Cart Assistant represents one of several AI initiatives Uber has rolled out across its platform in recent years.[2][3] The company previously launched AI-generated menu descriptions and automated customer review summaries for restaurants, tools designed to improve discovery and decision-making for both customers and merchants.[3]

Uber's aggressive investment in AI comes as the company faces intensifying competition in the grocery delivery sector.[4] Rivals like Instacart and DoorDash have already integrated AI capabilities—Instacart launched an AI search tool powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT in 2023, while DoorDash tested an AI chatbot called DashAI.[2] Both Uber Eats and DoorDash have also integrated with ChatGPT, allowing users to browse menus and plan meals through the conversational AI platform.[2][5]

According to Praveen Neppalli Naga, Uber's chief technology officer, the company's approach to AI prioritizes practical solutions grounded in real customer needs.[3][5] "Cart Assistant reflects how we think about AI at Uber: starting with real customer needs and building practical solutions within the app," Naga stated, emphasizing that the feature is designed to feel "helpful and intuitive" by basing it on actual user behavior.[3][5]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Uber Eats' Cart Assistant?

Cart Assistant is an AI-powered feature within the Uber Eats app that automatically builds grocery shopping carts based on text or image inputs, including handwritten lists and recipe screenshots.[1][5]

How do I use the Cart Assistant feature?

To use Cart Assistant, open the Uber Eats app, select a grocery store, and tap the purple Cart Assistant icon on the store's page. You can then either type a shopping list or upload an image of a list or recipe for the AI to convert into a cart.[1][2]

Which grocery stores support Cart Assistant?

Cart Assistant is available at major retailers including Safeway, Albertsons, Kroger, Aldi, Sprouts Farmers Market, Wegmans, and FreshDirect, with more partners being added.[4][5]

Can I modify items after the AI builds my cart?

Yes, you maintain complete control over your cart. After the AI generates the initial selection, you can modify quantities, swap items for different brands, or make any other adjustments before checkout.[1]

What devices can I use Cart Assistant on?

The feature is currently available on iOS, with an Android version expected to launch soon.[1]

How does Uber's AI consider my preferences when building a cart?

The Cart Assistant uses real-time data on product availability, current pricing, and your previous order history to generate personalized shopping recommendations that match your preferences.[1]

🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 6:20:10 PM
**Uber Eats' new Cart Assistant AI automates grocery cart building from text or image prompts at grocers like Albertsons, Kroger, and Aldi, intensifying the grocery delivery AI race.** Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga stated, “Cart Assistant helps you get from idea to checkout in seconds,” emphasizing user control with editable carts grounded in real-time availability and past orders[1][2][4]. Industry experts view this as a shift to "agentic services," with Grocery Dive noting it counters rivals like Instacart's ChatGPT tools amid a $1.7 trillion U.S. online grocery market in 2025, where AI slashes decision fatigue for razor-thin margins[3][
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 6:30:09 PM
**Breaking: Uber Eats launches Cart Assistant AI on Wednesday, enabling users to auto-build full grocery carts from text prompts like "taco night" or recipe images at grocers including Albertsons, Kroger, Aldi, and Wegmans—currently in beta on iOS in the US, with Android coming soon.**[1][2][4] Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga stated, “Cart Assistant helps you get from idea to checkout in seconds,” as the feature uses real-time pricing, availability, and past orders while letting users edit before purchase, intensifying AI rivalry with Instacart's tools and DoorDash's integrations.[1][2][4] This builds on Uber's voice ordering via Googl
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 6:40:09 PM
**BREAKING NEWS UPDATE:** Uber Eats has launched **Cart Assistant**, an AI-powered tool that automates full grocery cart creation from text prompts like "taco night" or images of handwritten lists and recipes, now live in beta on iOS across U.S. grocers including Albertsons, Kroger, Safeway, Aldi, and Wegmans.[1][2][5] Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga stated, “Cart Assistant helps you get from idea to checkout in seconds,” building on prior AI integrations like ChatGPT for meal planning, amid 26% YoY delivery gross bookings growth to $25.4B last quarter.[2][6] Meanwhile, Google’s **Gemini AI*
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 6:50:36 PM
Google's Gemini AI assistant on Android now automates multi-step tasks including Uber rideshare requests, DoorDash food orders, and Instacart grocery deliveries without requiring users to switch between apps[5]. The technical implementation leverages sophisticated app integration—likely through Android's accessibility APIs or direct partnerships with major service providers—enabling Gemini to navigate third-party app interfaces, understand context across multiple steps, and make autonomous decisions on users' behalf[5]. This positions Gemini in direct competition with OpenAI's agent capabilities and Apple's Siri integration, marking a shift from conversational AI to practical task automation that users may depend on daily[5].
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 7:00:16 PM
**Breaking News Update: Google's Gemini AI Sparks Market Frenzy with Uber, DoorDash Automation** Google's Gemini AI assistant launch, enabling automated Uber rides and DoorDash food orders on Android, triggered sharp **stock surges** in after-hours trading: Uber shares jumped **4.2%** to $78.50, DoorDash climbed **3.8%** to $145.20, while Instacart rose **2.9%** amid fears of AI-driven order disruption[4]. Analysts hailed it as a "game-changer for agentic AI," with JPMorgan noting "Gemini's multi-step task execution could capture 15% more delivery market share from manual apps" in a fresh note. Ube
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 7:10:17 PM
Google has announced new **multi-step task automation capabilities** for its Gemini AI assistant on Android, enabling users to book Uber rides and order food delivery through the app[1]. The feature, currently in beta, is initially available on Pixel 10 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S26 devices in the United States and South Korea, with support for dining, grocery, and transportation applications[1]. Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga stated that Uber Eats' complementary AI "Cart Assistant" tool "helps you get from idea to checkout in seconds," allowing users to build grocery carts from text or image prompts across major retailers including Safeway, Albertsons
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 7:20:46 PM
**BREAKING: Google's Gemini AI Escalates Competitive Arms Race in Delivery Automation.** Google's Gemini now automates Uber rides and DoorDash food orders via voice commands on Samsung Galaxy S26 devices, directly challenging Uber Eats' new Cart Assistant beta—launched Wednesday for U.S. iOS users at grocers like Albertsons and Kroger—which builds full grocery carts from text or image prompts using real-time stock data.[1][5][2][4] Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga emphasized user control, stating, “You maintain complete control over it,” amid intensifying rivalry with Instacart's 2023 ChatGPT-powered Preference Picker and DoorDash's DashAI tests, as all major player
🔄 Updated: 7:30:48 PM
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🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 7:40:33 PM
**BREAKING: Google's Gemini AI Pioneers Agentic Automation for Uber Rides and DoorDash Orders** Google's Gemini has launched task automation on Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 devices, enabling it to independently navigate apps for multi-step actions like hailing Ubers or building DoorDash carts—marking the first major consumer AI to execute such tasks with minimal intervention[1][2]. Industry experts hail this as a "fundamental shift" from chatbots to proactive agents, with Wired praising its "practical implementation" via screen interaction and real-time oversight, though it halts at final confirmation for user control[1][2]. Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga emphasized similar advancements in Uber Eats
🔄 Updated: 2/25/2026, 7:51:09 PM
Google's Gemini AI has achieved **agentic automation** on Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S26 devices, enabling it to handle multi-step tasks like booking Uber rides or ordering DoorDash meals by launching apps in a secure virtual window, navigating interfaces via screen analysis, and preparing orders for user approval—such as prompting "Get me an Uber to the Palace of Fine Arts" to enter addresses and select vehicles in real-time.[1][2][5] Technically, this marks a shift from conversational AI to human-like app interaction without full autonomy, as Gemini pauses before final submission to prevent errors or unauthorized charges, running only on explicit commands in a limited U.S./Korea beta.[2][5] Im
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