UAE multi-service platform Careem is on the brink of finalising a new AI feature to its DineOut service to simplify food discovery in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the company’s Managing Director exclusively revealed to Arabian Business.
The new AI feature will change the way users interact with the DineOut service on the app – a feature that helps consumers find the best restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“Today, you go into the app, you can discover restaurants based on a view, cuisine, or location,” explained Bassel Al Nahlaoui, the company’s managing director.
“We’re saying, why don’t you open this app and start talking to it and say ‘Hey, what’s the best burger in town?’ or ‘what’s the best vegan burger in town?’ and then, it should give you a couple of these options directly.”
This upcoming conversational AI capability is designed to eliminate the need for manual searches and allow customers to find what they want more efficiently, he said in an interview on the AB Majlis podcast.
He emphasised that this feature is part of Careem’s broader strategy to personalise services and make consumer interactions on the app “easier and much more tailored” to their needs.
While the exact launch date wasn’t specified, Al Nahlaoui hinted that users should “keep an eye out for this [over the] next six to 12 months,” suggesting an imminent rollout of this feature.
This AI integration is not Careem’s first foray into advanced technologies. The company has been leveraging AI for various functions, including fraud prevention, dispatch optimisation, and personalisation, for several years. However, the DineOut AI feature represents one of Careem’s first direct AI interactions with customers.
This development marks a significant step in Careem’s journey from a ride-hailing app to an “everything app” that aims to simplify daily life for millions across the region.
