Uber engineers have created an AI-powered version of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, using it as a tool to refine their presentations before meeting with the actual leadership. According to Khosrowshahi, this AI “Dara” acts as a practice run for teams preparing to pitch ideas or share updates, helping them fine-tune their messaging and slide decks in advance. Speaking on Steven Barlett’s podcast, The Diary of a CEO, Khosrowshahi shared the revelation: “One of my team members told me that some teams have built a Dara AI, so that they basically make the presentation to the Dara AI as a prep for making a presentation to me.” He noted that by the time a proposal reaches him, it has already been polished through multiple rounds of feedback—first with the AI version of himself. The move reflects a broader transformation at Uber, where AI is deeply embedded in daily operations. Khosrowshahi revealed that about 90% of the company’s software engineers are currently using AI in their work, with roughly 30% classified as “power users” who are reimagining the company’s technical architecture from the ground up. “These engineers aren’t just coding—they’re architects,” Khosrowshahi explained. “They’re manufacturing the bricks that go into the system and thinking about what the system should look like.” He emphasized that the impact on productivity has been unprecedented, saying, “It really is changing their productivity in a way that I’ve never, ever seen before.” The development underscores a shift in how Uber operates, with AI not just supporting workflows but actively shaping how teams think, plan, and communicate. While the company is widely known for ride-hailing and food delivery, Khosrowshahi sees Uber as fundamentally a technology platform built by its engineering teams—now empowered by AI to work faster, smarter, and more strategically.