Grab launches AI call service for seniors in world's second-richest country

Grab Singapore on Wednesday launched Grab AI Call-A-Ride (Beta), a voice-based ride-booking service developed in collaboration with OpenAI and powered by its Realtime Voice model.

Unlike conventional automated phone systems, the AI assistant can understand user intent, maintain context throughout a conversation, adapt when callers change their requests mid-sentence, and complete ride bookings, Grab said.

The service, available via +65 3138 0000, currently supports English and Mandarin, with additional regional languages planned.

Grab Chief Product Officer Philipp Kandal said the shift to app-based services had not worked well for users who struggle with digital navigation, many of whom rely most on dependable transportation, according to The Straits Times.

"The Grab AI Call-A-Ride (Beta) seeks to bridge this divide. We are trying to bring back the intuitive simplicity of a voice call, backed by the flexible reasoning and scalability of conversational AI."

Two seniors look at a smartphone. Photo from Facebook

Albert Yip, OpenAI's head of technical success for Asia Pacific, said the collaboration aims to make ride-hailing more natural and accessible for seniors through conversational AI.

Grab said the service was tested in about 1,000 pilot calls involving users from different demographic groups. It can also understand Singlish, Singapore's colloquial variety of English, after being trained on more than 100,000 donated voice samples.

The launch comes as Grab expands its use of artificial intelligence in Singapore, ranked the world's second-richest country by GDP per capita by The Economist in 2025, behind Switzerland.

It partnered with ChatGPT developer OpenAI in 2024 to improve accessibility, mapping and customer support through generative AI.

It has also stepped up investments in autonomous mobility. Grab is working with Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide to launch Singapore's first fleet of self-driving vehicles, beginning with an autonomous shuttle serving a public housing estate, according to Fortune. It has also invested in autonomous vehicle startups including WeRide, May Mobility and Momenta.

Last week, Grab announced plans to pilot an on-demand autonomous vehicle service in Punggol district, allowing riders to book self-driving vehicles between existing pickup and drop-off points on its shuttle network. The trial will begin in the coming months before expanding to the public in the fourth quarter of 2026, Channel News Asia reported.

It also plans to launch its first delivery robot pilot in Punggol later this year to automate the first and last 100 meters of deliveries.

On Tuesday it raised its full-year outlook after reporting record second-quarter results, including a 28% year-on-year increase in ride volumes, according to Reuters.

"AI is now embedded in the Grab way of life, whether it’s in our products or the way we work," Grab Chief Financial Officer Peter Oey told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia," adding that the technology has helped the company deliver products more than 30% faster, improving margins and cost efficiency.