DoorDash launches AI chatbot that takes orders from photos and conversational prompts

DoorDash's new AI chatbot lets you order with prompts and photos

DoorDash announced on Thursday that it's launching a new AI chatbot that lets users order food and groceries with text prompts and photos in its latest AI push. The chatbot, called "Ask DoorDash," allows users to search the app for what they're looking for in their own words instead of having to scroll through restaurants and stores to build a cart. You can tell the chatbot what you're in the mood for, share a recipe link to find the items, or describe the reservation you're looking for. "Traditional search works best when you know the exact restaurant or table you're looking for," DoorDash wrote in a blog post. "Ask DoorDash is designed for the moments when you don't." Food delivery apps and tech giants are betting that AI can help make shopping more conversational and personalized, as companies race to make AI assistants a standard part of everyday life. In February, Uber Easts launched an AI-powered "Cart Assistant," while Instacart has rolled out an AI shopping assistant that grocers can offer to their customers. DoorDash's app can build your grocery cart based on a photo from a cookbook, a picture of your grocery list, or a recipe. DoorDash will then add all the items and their correct quantities to your cart. It will prompt users to check if they already have staples like sugar and butter, so they don't buy something they already have. You can also ask the chatbot to reorder your last grocery cart or suggest new items based on your previous orders, DoorDash says. As for ordering food, you can tell the chatbot that you want a "filling dinner for a family of 4." The app will then surface restaurants alongside a personalized blurb explaining why it matches your search. You can narrow the results even further with a query like, "Show me kid-friendly vegetarian spots with mild options." Once you select a place, you can ask DoorDash to build a cart with suggestions based on your dietary preferences, budget, group size, or past orders. With Ask DoorDash for Reservations, users can ask the chatbot to find a "table for two downtown for a date-night dinner around 8 PM." The app will then surface restaurants with availability. You can refine the results further by asking for something a little more intimate. The chatbot is rolling out on iOS in select regions for restaurant search and grocery shopping, and within DoorDash Reservations. It will reach more users across the U.S. in the coming weeks, the company says.

DoorDash lets customers use photos, prompts to order food and book reservations in latest AI push

DoorDash is bringing artificial intelligence deeper into the user experience, allowing customers to order food and make reservations with photos and prompts. The company on Thursday announced a new chatbot called Ask DoorDash, which is launching in select markets for grocery shopping and food delivery. DoorDash plans to add reservations and additional U.S. cities in the coming weeks. Gig economy companies are in a race to add AI into their apps as the rapid development of agentic tools changes how consumers use the internet and mobile devices. DoorDash, along with Uber and Instacart, are rolling out new services to keep from getting left behind in a sector that's become a testing ground for AI agents. DoorDash launched AI-powered tools for merchants in May, and is betting on autonomous tech like delivery robots. Earlier this year, Uber launched its own AI cart assistant that uses photos and prompts to build grocery lists. And late last year, Instacart introduced AI tools for grocers.

You can now order DoorDash by just telling it what you're hungry for -- no more endless scrolling | Fortune

Customers can also use voice or written prompts to place orders without scrolling. The bot can make recommendations based on your past orders and reviews on social media. Ask DoorDash will also Ask You if you're running low on anything so it doesn't leave you understocked with frozen burritos, ramen, and mac & cheese (i.e., grocery staples). Bringing people to the table: DoorDash co-founder Andy Fang said that during its limited rollout to select iOS users, nearly half of takeout orders via the tool were made by people who had never ordered from that restaurant before. Prompting change: DoorDash is following in the footsteps of Uber Eats and Instacart, which have added AI assistants to make the shopping experience more conversational and personalized. More to come: The chatbot will be rolled out to more users in the coming weeks, and it will eventually have the capacity to make reservations on behalf of diners. -- DL This report was originally published by Morning Brew.