THE CRUNCH
Third-party AI agents arranged just four rides on Uber during the third quarter of 2026, executives disclosed on the company's earnings call. Uber Eats fared only slightly better, with around 500 agent-placed orders during the week of Halloween. That is a rounding error against the 320 million total rides and deliveries Uber recorded, and the first time the company has put a number on agent traffic.
The disclosure speaks to a live debate about disintermediation, the idea that customers will increasingly use AI agents such as Meta's Muse or OpenAI's Dots to book rides or order food instead of opening the app itself. Some experts have warned platforms like Uber and DoorDash are exposed to that risk, but these early figures suggest it remains very small.
Uber's response is a mix of openness and self-interest. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company would work with third parties, saying on the call: "We hope that there will be more traction... It is just very, very early, and we want to make sure we are not dependent on any one player." At the same time, Uber is building its own AI to keep customers in-app, including a Cart Assistant for Uber Eats that builds a grocery list from a recipe photo or text prompt.