DoorDash announced on Thursday that it is introducing a new AI chatbot designed to let users order food and groceries using text prompts and photos, marking its latest step into artificial intelligence. Dubbed "Ask DoorDash," the chatbot enables users to search the app in their own words rather than scrolling through endless restaurant and store listings to build a cart. You can tell the chatbot what you're in the mood for, share a recipe link to locate the necessary items, or describe the reservation you're seeking. "Traditional search works best when you know the exact restaurant or table you're looking for," DoorDash explained in a blog post. "Ask DoorDash is designed for the moments when you don't."

Food delivery platforms and tech giants are increasingly betting that AI can make shopping more conversational and personalized, as companies race to integrate AI assistants into everyday life. In February, Uber Eats launched an AI-powered "Cart Assistant," while Instacart has introduced an AI shopping assistant that grocers can offer to their customers. DoorDash's app can build your grocery cart based on a photo from a cookbook, a picture of your grocery list, or a recipe. The system then adds all the items with their correct quantities to your cart. It will also prompt users to check if they already have staples like sugar and butter, preventing them from buying something they already own.

You can also ask the chatbot to reorder your last grocery cart or suggest new items based on your previous orders, according to DoorDash. When ordering food, you can tell the chatbot you want a "filling dinner for a family of 4," and the app will surface restaurants along with a personalized blurb explaining why each option matches your search. You can narrow the results further with a query like, "Show me kid-friendly vegetarian spots with mild options."

Once you select a restaurant, you can ask DoorDash to build a cart with suggestions based on your dietary preferences, budget, group size, or past orders. With Ask DoorDash for Reservations, users can ask the chatbot to find a "table for two downtown for a date-night dinner around 8 PM," and the app will surface restaurants with availability. You can refine the results further by asking for something a little more intimate. The chatbot is rolling out on iOS in select regions for restaurant search and grocery shopping, as well as within DoorDash Reservations. The company says it will reach more users across the U.S. in the coming weeks.