Uber CTO Deploys 'Agentic Pods' in HR and Finance as AI Spending Slows
UBER•Uber has created cross-functional "agentic pods" by embedding its top AI engineers within HR, finance and legal teams to develop specialized AI agents for internal workflows. Global AI spending growth decelerated in early July, potentially reducing Uber’s AI unit costs and reprioritizing its investment pace.
1. Embedding AI Engineers Across Functions
Uber’s CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga has reorganized the company’s leading AI talent into “agentic pods,” each team embedded directly within HR, finance and legal departments. These pods are tasked with building autonomous AI agents to streamline recruiting, automate financial analysis and support contract review, aiming to accelerate deployment of customized AI tools.
2. AI Spending Deceleration and Cost Implications
Industry-wide AI investment growth decelerated below forecasts in early July as companies reassess budget allocations, which could ease cost pressures on Uber’s AI projects. Slower external spending trends may enable the ride-hailing giant to optimize resource allocation, potentially improving margins on its in-house AI initiatives over coming quarters.
