Uber engineers built an AI version of their boss

In Brief Posted: 3:09 PM PST · February 24, 2026 Image Credits:Kent Nishimura / Getty Images Kirsten Korosec Uber engineers built an AI version of their boss Consumers probably think of Uber as a ride-hailing and food delivery company. But in the eyes of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber is really just a giant code base with engineers that are “literally the builders of the company.” In fact, Uber’s engineers have gone so far as to replace Khosrowshahi with a chatbot that they’ll ask questions in preparation of meetings with the top brass. That’s according to an interview Khosrowshahi gave this week on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary of a CEO. “One of my team members told me that some teams have built a Dara AI, you know, so that they basically make the presentation to the Dara AI as a prep for making a presentation to me,” Khosrowshahi said on the podcast. “Because you can imagine, like, you know, by the time something comes to me, there’s been a prep and a meeting of the slide deck has been beautifully honed. So they have Dara AI to tune their prep.” Business Insider earlier reported this detail. About 90% of Uber’s software engineers are using AI in their work, Khosrowshahi said, while about 30% are “power users” of AI tools, completely rethinking the architecture of the company. “They are manufacturing the bricks that go into the system, and they’re architects who are kind of thinking about what the system should look like,” he said. Khosrowshahi added: “It really is changing their productivity in a way that I’ve never, ever seen before.” Techcrunch event Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately.Offer ends March 13. Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediatelyOffer ends March 13. Boston, MA | June 9, 2026 REGISTER NOW Topics AI, AI, In Brief, Transportation, Uber October 13-15 San Francisco, CA Save up to $680 on your pass before February 27.Meet investors. Discover your next portfolio company. Hear from 250+ tech leaders, dive into 200+ sessions, and explore 300+ startups building what’s next. Don’t miss these one-time savings. REGISTER NOW Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.

Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. No newsletters selected. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.

Related Transportation Self-driving tech startup Wayve raises $1.8B from Nvidia, Uber, and three automakers Kirsten Korosec 10 minutes ago Transportation Uber wants to be a Swiss Army Knife for robotaxis Kirsten Korosec 1 day ago Apps Particle’s AI news app listens to podcasts for interesting clips so you you don’t have to Sarah Perez 1 day ago Latest in Transportation Transportation Self-driving tech startup Wayve raises $1.8B from Nvidia, Uber, and three automakers Kirsten Korosec 10 minutes ago In Brief Uber engineers built an AI version of their boss Kirsten Korosec 2 hours ago In Brief CarGurus data breach affects 12.5 million accounts Kirsten Korosec 3 hours ago