Grab Rolls Out Agentic AI to Power Up Merchants and Drivers Across Southeast Asia

Grab is taking a major leap forward in AI innovation with the launch of its new agentic AI solutions—aimed at supercharging the day-to-day operations of merchants and drivers on its platform. In partnership with AI powerhouses OpenAI and Anthropic, the Southeast Asian superapp has unveiled two intelligent tools: the AI Merchant Assistant and AI Driver Companion.

Smarter Support for Merchants

Integrated directly into the GrabMerchant app, the AI Merchant Assistant is a chatbot built on Large Language Models (LLMs) designed to act as a round-the-clock business advisor for small and medium enterprises. With most Grab merchants operating on lean resources, this assistant bridges the tech gap by offering data-driven insights and hands-on help—from boosting sales and updating menus to launching ad campaigns. Coming soon, it will even suggest personalised financing options via GrabFin and Grab’s digital banks.

The AI Merchant Assistant delivers advice in a friendly, conversational tone, with proactive tips and responses tailored to each business’s needs, giving small merchants access to capabilities once reserved for major brands.

AI on the Road

For Grab’s driver-partners, the new AI Driver Companion brings two powerful features to the Grab Driver app:

• AI Ride Guidance: Using real-time and historical data, this feature predicts ride demand hotspots and directs drivers to them efficiently. Already used by over 250,000 drivers weekly, it helps drivers reduce downtime and stay focused behind the wheel.
• Voice-Based Reporting: Drivers can now report road issues—like traffic jams, flooding, or construction—through voice commands in multiple languages. This replaces the older, less safe manual reporting method and enhances GrabMaps’ accuracy. With over 16,000 reports daily from more than 900,000 drivers, the tool has significantly improved the quality and speed of map updates.

Built with World-Class AI Collaboration

The Merchant Assistant was co-developed with OpenAI and Anthropic, drawing on OpenAI’s models for generating personalised recommendations and Claude AI for engaging, human-like conversations. The Driver Companion and its voice reporting tool leverage OpenAI’s GPT-4o and Real Time API to interpret and respond empathetically and quickly to driver inputs.

This AI rollout builds on Grab’s earlier partnership with OpenAI, announced in May 2024, and marks a new strategic collaboration with Anthropic. With 44 million monthly users across 800 cities in Southeast Asia, Grab offers real-world scale for testing and refining AI models—helping merchants and drivers alike thrive with smarter, more intuitive support.