Uber recorded just four ride bookings and approximately 500 Uber Eats orders placed through AI agents during the Halloween week of October 2026, highlighting limited consumer adoption of automated booking services. The figures were disclosed during the company’s third-quarter earnings call on November 4, despite growing investment in AI agents capable of completing transactions on behalf of users.
According to Uber’s earnings call transcript, the company processed approximately 320 million rides and delivery orders during the same week. AI-initiated transactions therefore represented a small fraction of the platform’s overall activity.
AI Agents Account for Few Uber Transactions
Uber chief financial officer Balaji Krishnamurthy disclosed the figures to Wall Street analysts, noting that AI agents generated only four ride bookings during one of the company’s busiest weeks in October. Food delivery attracted greater activity, although the 500 AI-generated orders remained limited compared with overall transaction volumes.
CEO Dara Khosrowshahi acknowledged that adoption was still at an early stage, describing the traction as “very, very early and very limited.” He said the company expected usage to increase as consumers become more familiar with AI-powered services.
Khosrowshahi also pointed to the speed of Uber’s existing applications as a possible reason for limited adoption. Customers typically take approximately 50 seconds to book a ride and 90 seconds to reorder a preferred meal through Uber Eats.
These relatively short booking times reduce the immediate convenience advantage of using an AI agent to complete the same tasks.
AI Agent Adoption Remains Limited Across Delivery Platforms
Uber’s experience resembles findings reported by DoorDash during its recent earnings call. The food delivery company said it had received only several hundred orders through AI agents, with most customers continuing to use its application directly.
Meanwhile, technology companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, and SpaceXAI have introduced AI agents designed to perform tasks such as shopping, scheduling, and making reservations.
Meta reported that its Muse AI assistant surpassed 10 million users in October, with shopping among its popular activities. AI startup Instinct also secured funding at a $10 billion valuation in September, reflecting investor interest in autonomous consumer assistants.
Uber Expects AI Agents to Create Additional Demand
Despite the limited initial adoption, Uber continues to view third-party AI assistants as another channel through which consumers can access its transportation and delivery services.
Khosrowshahi said approximately eight major AI assistants currently operate in the market, with the number potentially increasing beyond 10. He expects these services to provide additional access to Uber rather than replace its existing applications.
Uber has not disclosed whether it plans to introduce new features specifically designed to increase AI agent bookings. The company also has not provided a forecast for how much transaction volume it expects AI assistants to generate.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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