Uber is accelerating its push into the travel industry, and its latest move marks one of its most ambitious steps yet. Less than six months after launching Uber AI Solutions, the company has begun recruiting experienced travel agents, destination planners and logistics experts to help train generative AI models for external corporate clients.
The three-month freelance project, advertised recently on LinkedIn, seeks specialists rather than hobbyists – a sign that Uber is targeting professional-level travel expertise to shape the next generation of AI-powered trip-planning tools.
While the job listing sparked speculation about Uber building its own AI travel assistant, a company spokesperson clarified that the work is tied to a client project, not an internal product.
Even so, the move demonstrates how Uber is positioning itself as a behind-the-scenes technology provider for travel planning. It is also another sign of how deeply the company is integrating into the broader travel ecosystem, moving far beyond rideshare and food delivery.
A Strategic Push Into Travel Technology
Uber’s interest in the travel sector has been steadily intensifying. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Riyadh Air to integrate Uber’s mobility and booking functionalities directly into the airline’s mobile app – a bold example of how Uber sees itself supporting end-to-end traveler journeys.
It also expanded curbside pickup operations at Sydney International Airport in 2024, pushing deeper into airport mobility despite strong resistance from local taxi groups.
Industry observers have long speculated about how far Uber intends to take its travel ambitions. Last year, rumors circulated suggesting Uber may even consider acquiring Expedia, though the company has not commented publicly on the speculation.
What is clear is that Uber is moving closer to becoming a foundational technology partner for travel companies, from airlines to OTAs to corporate travel providers. Recruiting travel experts to train AI systems is the company’s latest reminder that it intends to build tools that understand real-world travel complexity – something only seasoned agents can provide.
Data Intelligence Becomes a Core Travel Asset
At the same time, Uber’s advertising division is rapidly scaling, unveiling a new data-driven marketing platform called Uber Intelligence. Built with LiveRamp’s clean-room technology, the tool allows brands to merge their customer insights with Uber’s data – revealing patterns in dining habits, mobility trends and travel frequency without sharing personally identifiable information.
For the travel industry, Uber Intelligence could become a powerful resource. A hotel chain, for example, could use the platform to identify which neighborhoods its frequent guests dine in, or which entertainment venues travelers visit before booking a room.
Airlines could use it to analyze airport mobility trends, helping refine loyalty targeting. The platform’s privacy-protected data model keeps user identities hidden while surfacing actionable insights for marketers.
Uber’s ad business is already one of the fastest-growing parts of the company, on track to reach $1.5 billion in annual revenue by the end of 2025. The introduction of Uber Intelligence signals a shift toward more sophisticated advertising services – the kind usually offered by mature digital platforms. For travel brands, it presents a new opportunity to reach audiences at high-intent moments, such as during an airport ride or while planning a business trip.
Uber’s evolving strategy – bolstered by AI, data intelligence and travel-sector recruitment – suggests the company is no longer just a transportation app.
It is becoming a travel infrastructure company, deeply embedded in the decisions travelers make long before they ever open the Uber app.