Launch Overview
On February 11, 2026, Uber Eats introduced its AI Cart Assistant, a feature designed to streamline grocery shopping through text and image inputs. Users can now build shopping carts by submitting handwritten notes or screenshots of recipes, significantly reducing manual entry. This tool assesses preferences based on previous orders and current store inventory, enabling easy edits before checkout. Major retailers like Safeway, Albertsons, and Kroger are initial partners in this venture.
Uber’s AI Strategy
This rollout marks another step in Uber’s ongoing integration of artificial intelligence into its services. Last year, Uber launched AI-driven menu descriptions and customer review summaries for restaurants, aiming to enhance user interaction on their platform. The Cart Assistant applies machine learning to personal shopping habits, suggesting familiar items and predicting needs based on past transactions.
Competitive Dynamics
Uber Eats faces stiff competition from DoorDash and Instacart, especially as online grocery shopping surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Uber’s grocery delivery service, which saw a 26% year-over-year increase in gross bookings to $25.4 billion in Q4 2025, shows that there’s significant cash flow at stake. Instacart has also rolled out a similar Cart Assistant for partners like Kroger, while DoorDash continues to expand its grocery partnerships.
Technical Insights
The Cart Assistant utilizes natural language processing to interpret user queries such as “ingredients for taco night.” This capability allows the tool to recommend relevant items based on inventory levels and user preferences. Activation occurs via a distinct purple icon on partnered store pages within the Uber Eats app, which indicates its emphasis on agentic AI for practical shopping tasks.
Market Implications
By launching this feature, Uber positions itself as a leader in AI-driven on-demand grocery services, potentially enhancing user retention in the rapidly expanding $1.7 trillion U.S. online grocery market. This shift toward predictive and automated shopping aligns with industry trends where competitors like Instacart are making similar advancements. Uber plans to iterate on the Cart Assistant, leveraging user data to refine its offerings.
With the rapid pace of AI integration in consumer services, expect a surge in similar features across platforms. Over the next 6 to 12 months, anticipate more granular personalization and predictive capabilities in grocery delivery apps, as companies vie for market share in this lucrative sector.
