DoorDash is introducing a new artificial intelligence tool designed to make ordering food and groceries more conversational. The company said Thursday that it is launching Ask DoorDash, a chatbot that can help customers build orders from photos and prompts, with reservations and more markets planned soon.
The feature is rolling out first in select locations for grocery shopping and food delivery. DoorDash said it intends to expand the service to more U.S. cities in the coming weeks and later add restaurant reservations.
The new product reflects a broader push among delivery and gig-economy companies to embed AI more deeply into their apps. As agentic AI tools become more capable, platforms are racing to create services that can interpret a customer’s intent and translate it into action. In this case, DoorDash is aiming to make it easier for users to go from an image, a voice command, or a short text prompt to a ready-to-checkout cart.
DoorDash is not alone in that effort. Uber has introduced an AI cart assistant for grocery delivery, while Instacart has also expanded its AI offerings for grocery retailers. The competition underscores how delivery and commerce apps are becoming a test bed for consumer-facing AI products.
DoorDash has already been investing in AI on the merchant side. In May, the company rolled out AI-powered tools for businesses that use its platform. It has also been developing autonomous technology, including delivery robots, as it looks for new ways to widen its capabilities.
The company’s AI rollout comes during a major investment period tied to a broader rebuild of its technology infrastructure. DoorDash is working to create a single tech platform that can support its growing portfolio of businesses after several large acquisitions.
Those deals include the purchase of restaurant reservations platform SevenRooms for $1.2 billion and Deliveroo, the U.K.-based food delivery company, for nearly $4 billion. DoorDash finance chief Ravi Inukonda said on the company’s last earnings call that the tech stack overhaul is progressing and that most of the spending is expected this year.
The timing is notable for investors. DoorDash shares have fallen about 33% this year, even as the Nasdaq has posted a gain of roughly 8%. The stock came under pressure after the company said late last year that it planned to spend several hundred million dollars on new products and technology in 2026, a move that triggered its worst trading day on record.
DoorDash defended the strategy at the time, arguing that major investments are necessary to support long-term growth. The company’s latest AI announcement suggests it is continuing to place that bet, using new technology to improve the consumer experience while it integrates its acquisitions and expands its platform.
For now, Ask DoorDash is limited to select markets. But the company’s plans point to a larger ambition: turning the app from a delivery service into a more intelligent assistant for ordering, planning and reservations.