DoorDash unveiled a new AI-powered ordering assistant on Wednesday that enables customers to place food orders via Apple Messages. With this tool, users can simply type requests such as "order my usual," and the system will recognize it as their typical Friday night meal. According to DoorDash, users can also specify particular dishes or seek recommendations from nearby restaurants. The assistant then scours local options, proposes a cart tailored to the request, and can even send pictures of the suggested food. For group orders, DoorDash states the assistant is capable of managing various dietary needs and quantities all in a single transaction.

By introducing this AI agent for food ordering, DoorDash aims to differentiate itself from competitors like Uber Eats and Grubhub. This move coincides with a broader trend of developing personal AI agents that perform tasks without users having to interact with apps or websites directly. DoorDash has set up a waitlist for U.S. users interested in testing this new feature. Alongside the AI agent, DoorDash revealed plans to start trialing its delivery drones with certain restaurants in Northern California.