Uber is broadening its services to include hotel bookings, an AI voice assistant, and additional features, all made possible by artificial intelligence.

Uber is broadening its services to include hotel bookings, an AI voice assistant, and additional features, all made possible by artificial intelligence.

      On Wednesday, April 29th, during its annual Go-Get event in New York City, Uber announced the introduction of a hotel-booking feature and an AI voice assistant, among other enhancements. This new offering is a collaboration with Expedia Group, aimed at broadening the functions of both platforms to provide users with a more comprehensive travel experience.

      Initially, these new features will be available in the U.S. Uber app, allowing users to book from over 700,000 hotels globally. Users will benefit from a 20% discount on a rotating selection of 10,000 hotels when reserved through the app, in addition to receiving 10% back in Uber Credits for all bookings by members of the Uber One program.

      Uber also unveiled an AI-powered Voice Booking Assistant designed for hands-free ride reservations. Praveen Nepalli Naga, Uber's CTO, noted that bringing these features to market would typically take a year, involving development, testing, debugging, and launching; however, with the integration of Agentic AI, the timeline has been halved, enabling faster workflows and processes.

      Within the Uber app, users can enter their destination to view hotels displayed on a map or refine their search with personalized filters. Prices will be shown inclusive of taxes, fees, and applicable discounts, along with the Uber Credits that can be earned, redeemable within 24 hours after checking into the hotel, aimed for use in the city of their stay. The booking procedure mirrors that of a traditional Uber ride, with users making payments and receiving a confirmation email linked to their account.

      Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber's CEO, discussed the company’s transformation into an all-encompassing app, stating, “helping people go, get, and now travel all in one place.”

      The new features are intended to address the current cognitive overload and decision paralysis stemming from an abundance of apps and choices. Khosrowshahi emphasized, “At the end of the day, our job is to help people reclaim their time, spending less of it managing the logistics of life and more of it actually living.”

      To further this platform expansion strategy, Uber has also updated user experiences in the Uber and Uber Eats apps. The new features include:

      - Travel Mode: Available in both Uber and Uber Eats, this feature recommends local and tourist restaurants and attractions, as well as a “room service” option for deliveries forgotten or needed by the user.

      - Uber One International: Starting June 1, Uber One members will unlock international benefits, including earning credits on rides, no delivery fees abroad, and the ability to use rewards for their return trip home.

      - Shop for Me: Users can request items from any store, with or without the platform, at the same prices as in physical locations.

      - Eats for the Way: Passengers reserving Uber Black or Uber Black SUV can request coffee, tea, or small snacks during their ride, managed by the driver at pickup.

      - One Search: This feature allows users to search for items, with the app suggesting associated places and products for a more integrated experience across the Uber app.

      This alliance with Expedia Group will enable customers from both services to utilize offerings from the other, focusing on providing a seamless travel experience. Uber rides will be integrated directly into the Expedia app by early June, with vacation rentals from Vrbo expected to be added later this year.

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Uber is broadening its services to include hotel bookings, an AI voice assistant, and additional features, all made possible by artificial intelligence.

During its annual Go-Get event in New York City, Uber revealed the introduction of a hotel-booking feature and an AI voice assistant, along with several other new offerings.