Who isn’t? Well, for Sachin Kansal, the chief product officer of Uber, artificial intelligence or AI isn’t going anywhere, as he likes to use it heavily for reports and research. Read on for the scoop.
Heavy user of AI
Kansal wants to be vocal about this. In a recent podcast, he spoke about how he is embracing AI to streamline his daily operations and workflow. Specifically, he name-dropped ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and NotebookLM.
In the podcast, he also talked about how AI summarization has helped him digest lengthy 50- to 100-page reports that he wouldn’t read like a geek.
Kansal also uses AI to analyze market trends and rider feedback across regions like South Korea, Brazil, and South Africa.
Aside from those, he also depends heavily on AI for research. He shared how AI has proven helpful when exploring new driver features, particularly the deep research capabilities of ChatGPT to simulate possible driver reactions. He also uses AI to generate brainstorming ideas.
“It’s an amazing research assistant,” he told the Ridesharing Forum. “It’s absolutely a starting point for a brainstorm with my team.”
Kansal is also eyeing adding Google’s NotebookLM to his AI use collection. NotebookLM is an incredible note-taking and research tool with various features, such as the Audio Overview, which turns documents into podcasts you can listen to.
According to Uber’s chief executive officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, stressed how AI use must be emphasized within the company, as only a few employees use it.
Macdonald is now Uber president
Also, Uber’s organizational chart has been shaken up. Andrew Macdonald, the former senior vice president of mobility and business operations, has been appointed as Uber’s new president and chief operating officer. He will report directly to Khosrowshahi.
“This is a natural next step in our evolution as a company, as we drive growth by increasing engagement across our entire platform,” said Khosrowshahi. “Mac has proven himself as a highly effective leader at Uber, and I’m thrilled for him to step into this important new role.”
It was in 2012 when the new COO joined Uber and had been in his former position since 2019.
As the new COO, his responsibilities include the company’s global mobility, delivery, and autonomous businesses. He will also handle key cross-platform functions like membership, customer support, safety, and Uber for Business.
Macdonald will relocate from Toronto to New York City.
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