Uber is continuous its push to deliver extra electrical autos onto the ride-hail and supply platform, and it thinks giving drivers a chatbot to reply all their EV questions will assist. Beginning early 2025, Uber will launch an AI assistant for drivers within the U.S. powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o.
At launch, the assistant will solely reply questions on electrical autos, like the place to cost them or which one to purchase, however the integration will probably span into different use instances sooner or later, in line with an Uber spokesperson.
Uber introduced the mixing with OpenAI’s new flagship mannequin — which is able to having human-like conversations and reasoning throughout textual content, audio, and imaginative and prescient — throughout its Go-Get occasion in London on Tuesday.
Drivers will have the ability to entry the AI assistant from the house display screen of the Uber driver app, and the chatbot might be constantly up to date with new data. Uber says it’ll additionally have the ability to present customized solutions primarily based on the motive force’s wants, the town they stay in, and accessible authorities incentives.
An Uber spokesperson informed TechCrunch that drivers will finally have the ability to converse on to the chatbot, along with sending text-based questions, and that the chatbot will have the ability to audibly reply to driver queries.
It’s not clear in what languages the AI assistant might be accessible; Uber plans to share extra particulars on supported languages nearer to launch. OpenAI says GPT-4o can help over 50 languages.
Uber’s AI assistant rollout might be coupled with an “EV mentorship program,” the place extremely rated drivers who’ve expertise driving an EV can earn money rewards and different incentives in the event that they tackle the mantle of being a mentor for drivers who need to study extra concerning the expertise of proudly owning an EV.
Uber’s OpenAI announcement was lumped in with different EV and climate-focused information on the Go-Get occasion. The main target of the showcase this 12 months was on local weather, and Uber revealed a handful of recent options and updates that make it simpler for riders and drivers to decide on EVs.
For instance, the ride-hail and supply large’s Uber Inexperienced providing, the place riders can select to journey in a hybrid or an EV in over 180 markets, will now characteristic an EV-only choice in 40 cities, with extra to come back. The primary cities embody New York Metropolis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Paris, Auckland, and extra. Riders can even set their choice within the Uber app to get matched with EVs when one is close by.