Most employees feel stressed before reporting to the CEO, but at global travel giant Uber, engineers have found a new "cheat": let an AI version of their boss give them feedback first.
"Dara AI": The Chief Coach Before Executive Meetings
Recently, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed an interesting insider secret on Steven Bartlett's popular podcast "CEO Diaries": his engineering team developed a chatbot called "Dara AI."
This AI is not just a gimmick; it is an indispensable "simulator" for engineers. Before presenting their proposals or submitting slides directly to Khosrowshahi, teams first practice with "Dara AI." Through this process, engineers can anticipate challenges that a real CEO might raise, allowing them to refine details and improve logic in advance. Khosrowshahi joked that when the presentation materials finally reach him, they are often meticulously polished to an "AI level."
A Productivity Revolution: From "Bricklayers" to "Architects"
To Khosrowshahi, Uber is not just a ride-hailing or food delivery company, but a vast empire built by code. He emphasized that engineers are the true builders of this company.
Currently, AI tools have deeply integrated into Uber's workflow:
Widespread Use: Approximately 90% of Uber's software engineers use AI in their daily work.
Deep Application: About 30% of them are defined as "advanced users," who not only use AI to increase efficiency but also re-imagine the company's underlying architecture.
Khosrowshahi commented: "Engineers are both the workers building the bricks of the system and the architects redefining it. AI has completely transformed their productivity in a way I've never seen before."
New Thinking Among Silicon Valley Executives
As previously highlighted by Business Insider, this trend reflects a shift in roles within top tech companies in Silicon Valley. As AI's ability to generate code and optimize solutions improves, top engineers are being freed from tedious repetitive tasks. For Uber, this AI-driven "internal evolution" is making the company, which relies on complex algorithms, more agile and unpredictable.
