Uber chief warns no link yet between AI tokenmaxxing and shipping successful products — company pumps the brakes on all-out AI spending

https://www.tomshardware.com/author/mark-tyson· May 26, 2026 · 11:15 AM UTC ·8 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 54 views

#uber #artificial intelligence #technology

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

Uber's COO Andrew Macdonald has stated that there is currently no established link between increased AI token usage and the successful delivery of consumer features. He emphasized the need for management to evaluate the productivity gains and new products resulting from AI investments. Despite the company's significant spending on AI, there has yet to be a breakthrough product that demonstrates a clear return on investment.

Key facts

▪Uber's COO noted that there is no clear connection between AI spending and successful product launches.
▪The company has already exhausted its AI budget for 2026 by April.
▪Macdonald highlighted the importance of assessing productivity gains from AI investments.

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Publication time	Tue, 26 May 2026 11:15:53 +0000
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Tech Industry Artificial Intelligence Uber chief warns no link yet between AI tokenmaxxing and shipping successful products — company pumps the brakes on all-out AI spending News By Mark Tyson published 26 May 2026 Uber CTO previously noted that the Claude Code budget for the entirety of 2026 had been spent by April. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Getty / John Keeble) Share Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Uber President and COO Andrew Macdonald has warned that there is not yet a link between higher AI token usage and an increase in useful…

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