DoorDash's CEO: Don't be 'delusional' after just a few hundred AI agent orders

DoorDash's CEO: Don't be 'delusional' after just a few hundred AI agent orders Some third-party AI agents have generated "several hundred" DoorDash orders, CEO Tony Xu said. David Zalubowski/AP The age of AI agents ordering your meals isn't here yet, according to DoorDash.The food delivery service has received "several hundred orders in total" from agents such as Meta's Muse, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said during the company's earnings call on Thursday. By comparison, DoorDash delivered 3.2 billion orders worldwide in 2025.Instead, customers are still using DoorDash's app and website to place orders, Xu said."For the everyday ordering, what we see is people come to DoorDash, and they come back to DoorDash," he said.Xu's comments suggest that buzzy AI agents like Muse and Instinct have far to go before they become a big part of how users buy things.The agents can be useful for tracking the prices of holiday gifts or airline tickets, users told Business Insider earlier this month. Many are hesitant to let agents make the purchases themselves. They also use more secure payment options, such as single-use credit cards, in case the agents make a mistake.Despite the low order volume through third-party agents, DoorDash is making changes to its own AI tools.The company said in September that it was testing a text-to-order feature with an interface reminiscent of Instinct. Another ordering option, a chatbot called Ask DoorDash, creates an order from a recipe or shopping list and can adjust the contents to match customers' preferences.Those AI tools could eventually generate new orders on DoorDash, Xu said. "My take on all things technology is you never want to fight gravity," he said."But, at the same time, you do not want to be delusional," he added, referring to the low number of agent-placed orders.Do you have a story idea about DoorDash? Contact this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Alex Bitter is a senior retail reporter covering Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, and related companies. His coverage ranges from the experiences of gig workers to what's happening inside the world's biggest ride-hailing and delivery companies.Alex has also written about the retail and food industries. Convenience store chain Sheetz ended its "smile policy" after his reporting. Alex lives in the Washington, DC, area, where you can find him studying ancient coins or searching for Civil War artifacts with his metal detector in his free time.Got a tip? Reach out at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at +1 (808) 854-4501. AI Delivery automation More