AI to power Grab’s latest offerings

Grab’s CEO, Anthony Tan, highlighted the use of AI for Grab’s latest solutions.

Speaking at GrabX 2026 held in Indonesia on April 8, Philipp Kandal, chief product officer of Grab, said, “As a product builder, I believe AI should work the hardest for the people who need it most. I’m excited that the products we are launching today at GrabX are like having a smart companion by your side.”

“Whether you’re a consumer who just wants a chatbot to choose your lunch, a merchant who needs to monitor multiple shops remotely, or a driver getting hands-free voice advice –we want the Grab app to be the Everyday Guide that handles the manual tasks, so you can focus on your day.”

Philipp Kandal, chief product officer of Grab

The 13 products launched at GrabX serve as Everyday Guides to Local Life, Effortless Travel, and Business Empowerment. For consumers, Group Ride makes it easy for up to four people to share a vehicle by coordinating pickups and split payments.

Grab’s AI sequences the entire trip intelligently to be most efficient, and each passenge’s fare is calculated based on factors such as the distance they travel, as well as traffic conditions and time taken on their route. Meanwhile, GrabMaps for Consumers makes daily transit more convenient by helping users find nearby amenities like EV chargers and parking spots, and even providing indoor maps to navigate malls and buildings.

For travellers, features like Personalised Travel Experience and Discover reduce the hassle of travelling, helping consumers get through the airport easily with reminders on flight updates or arrival card requirements, and surfacing local food reviews and recommendations.

For Grab’s merchant- and driver-partners, there are new features for Business Empowerment. Merchant-partners can use tools like Virtual Store Manager and Cloud Printer that use hardware to automate their stores’ manual workflows – using AI-powered computer vision to monitor hygiene and foot traffic, and automatically sync food orders between front counters and back kitchens. Driver-partners can use a chatbot, Driver AI Assistant, as a smart companion to get real-time advice that helps them drive more efficiently and grow their daily earnings.

The products are powered by the Grab Intelligence Layer, the company’s AI infrastructure built on insights from 20 billion rides and orders. It turns real-world signals – like how rain impacts traffic or real-time activity in a merchant’s shop – into useful features that simplify decisions and automate manual tasks.

GrabX 2026, Grab’s annual product showcase, also marked a milestone for Grab’s Early Access Programme, which has grown to 200,000 users since its launch at last year’s event. The scheme allows users to see Grab’s latest features, become testers, and provide feedback to help improve new products. This group has contributed 4,000 feature improvements that have shaped the Grab experience today.

At the event, Grab also announced a new “shake and share” feature that lets users submit feedback instantly by shaking their phone.

Products will roll out by market, subject to regulatory approvals, licensing, and partner readiness. Product names, capabilities, fees, and timelines may vary by country.

Product Availability in Markets

From pioneer to key player: Grab’s 10-year milestone in Vietnam This October, Grab is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Vietnam. Alejandro Osorio, managing director of Grab Vietnam, speaks to VIR’s Linh Le about the key milestones achieved over the last decade and the company’s future vision in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s food delivery market saw the highest growth in the region Vietnam’s food delivery market reached a total gross merchandise value (GMV) of $1.8 billion in 2024, where Grab and ShopeeFood accounting for 95 per cent of the market share.

Grab partnering with VTDF to promote tourism The Vietnam Tourism Development Fund (VTDF), under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Grab Vietnam have signed a five-year MoU to promote and develop Vietnamese tourism and accelerate digital transformation in the industry.