Uber CEO Predicts Most Rides Could Be Robot-Operated Within 20 Years

Dara Khosrowshahi says AI will replace up to 80% of human jobs in the next decade, putting pressure on rideshare drivers.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi predicts that the majority of Uber's rides could be fulfilled by autonomous vehicles within 15-20 years, as robotaxis continue to gain traction. Khosrowshahi also believes AI will be able to replace the work of 70-80% of humans over the next 10 years, posing a major challenge for society to adapt. Uber is looking to diversify the types of work its contractors can do, such as delivery, shopping, and AI training, to ease the transition.

Why it matters

The rise of autonomous vehicles and AI-powered automation poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of millions of rideshare drivers who rely on Uber and similar platforms for income. As robotaxis become more prevalent, Uber and other companies will need to find ways to retrain and transition these workers into new roles to avoid widespread job displacement.

The details

Uber has grown rapidly since its 2009 launch, connecting consumers to over 9.5 million independent contractor drivers worldwide. However, the increasing adoption of autonomous vehicles in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Atlanta is putting pressure on these drivers as customers turn to robotaxis. Khosrowshahi predicts that in 15-20 years, the majority of Uber's trips could be fulfilled by robots, though he acknowledges there are still many technical and regulatory hurdles to overcome before wide-scale deployment of robotaxis.

  • Uber launched in 2009.
  • Uber now has over 9.5 million contractor drivers worldwide.
  • Robotaxis are already gaining traction in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Atlanta.
  • Khosrowshahi predicts the majority of Uber's rides could be robot-operated within 15-20 years.
  • Khosrowshahi believes AI will replace 70-80% of human jobs in the next 10 years.

The players

Dara Khosrowshahi

The CEO of Uber, who has predicted that the majority of Uber's rides could be fulfilled by autonomous vehicles within 15-20 years.

Uber

The ride-hailing company that has revolutionized the gig economy with its app-based model connecting consumers to independent contractor drivers.

Waymo

An autonomous driving company and subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, that is expanding the robotaxi market.

Tesla

An electric vehicle and autonomous driving technology company that is also expanding the robotaxi market.

Zoox

An autonomous vehicle company backed by Amazon that is expanding the robotaxi market.

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What they’re saying

“You can imagine the majority of our trips being fulfilled by robots of some kind. Probably not 10 years from now, but you go 15 to 20 years from now, you're going to start getting there.”

— Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO, Uber (The Diary of a CEO podcast)

“Ten years is not a lot of time for society to adjust to that kind of an impact.”

— Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO, Uber (The Diary of a CEO podcast)

What’s next

Uber is launching a new Uber Autonomous Solutions initiative to commercialize robotaxis around the world, organizing development across AV infrastructure, user experience, and fleet operations.

The takeaway

The rise of autonomous vehicles and AI-powered automation poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of millions of rideshare drivers. Uber and other companies will need to find ways to retrain and transition these workers into new roles to avoid widespread job displacement in the coming years.