Uber Expands Beyond Rides: Introduces Hotels, AI, and Room Service at GO-GET Event

Uber Technologies is accelerating its mission to save customers time, and at its sixth annual GO-GET event in New York City, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi showcased how the company is expanding beyond ride-hailing. The event, held on Wednesday, introduced a range of new features designed to integrate travel, shopping, and convenience into the Uber app.

Hotels on Uber: Booking Made Simple with Expedia

Uber announced Hotels on Uber, a new feature that allows users to book hotel rooms directly within the Uber app. The service is powered by a partnership with Expedia, where Khosrowshahi previously served as CEO. The integration will provide access to over 700,000 hotel properties through Uber’s platform.

"Travel was Uber’s next frontier," Khosrowshahi said. "Taking all of the complexity related to booking travel and making it as easy to get an Uber was only natural for the company. You can go, you can get, and now, you can travel."

Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia, also spoke at the event, highlighting the natural synergy between the two companies. "Where Uber can take you, we can help you stay," she said. "The combined powers of the two companies can ultimately save people time and money."

Additionally, Uber revealed that all properties on VRBO, a vacation rentals site, will be available on the Uber platform later this year. Members booking hotels through Uber may also receive discounts and Uber One credits.

New Features to Save Time and Enhance Convenience

The GO-GET event introduced several other features aimed at simplifying daily tasks:

Eats for the Way

A feature allowing users to pre-order coffee, tea, or snacks with Uber Black in select markets.

Travel Mode

A new experience within the Uber and Uber Eats apps that provides personalized recommendations based on a user’s location. For example, travelers in a new city can receive restaurant suggestions, points of interest, and even a ‘room service’ feature to order Uber Eats directly to their hotel room.

Shop for Me

This feature enables users to request any item from any store, even those not on the Uber platform. The app will then find a courier to retrieve the item, regardless of how specific the request may be.

Cart Assistant

An AI-powered tool that creates shopping lists from image uploads or text prompts. It can also work within a budget and develop meal plans.

Voice Bookings

Uber introduced the ability to book rides using verbal prompts. For instance, a user could say, "Book me a ride to the airport with enough room for five people," and the AI assistant will handle the arrangements.

Uber’s Push to Become an ‘Everything’ Platform

The announcements reflect Uber’s broader strategy to evolve into an ‘everything’ platform, competing in industries beyond ride-hailing, particularly in travel booking. The company’s rapid expansion into new services underscores its ambition to dominate convenience and efficiency in daily life.