Grab partners with OpenAI and Anthropic to launch AI assistant for merchants

New AI Merchant Assistant aims to streamline business operations and boost growth for GrabFood partners.

Signage is displayed at the Grab Holdings Ltd. headquarters in Singapore on August 20, 2023. Photo by Ore Huiying/Bloomberg

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Grab partners with OpenAI and Anthropic to launch AI assistant for merchants, aiming to revolutionize the way GrabFood partners operate their businesses. Through this strategic collaboration with two of the most advanced AI innovators in the world, Grab introduces an artificial intelligence tool called the AI Merchant Assistant — a personalized and contextual feature built to serve as a digital business advisor for merchants within the Grab ecosystem.

This development is part of Grab’s broader strategy to enhance its platform through smart technology, making business management easier and more efficient for thousands of its partners. At the GrabX event held on Tuesday, April 8, at JW Marriott Singapore, Grab’s Chief Product Officer Philipp Kandal unveiled the AI feature as one of the company’s most significant innovations of the year.

“This AI assistant can understand exactly what individual merchants need and can provide practical, tailored advice on, for example, business growth opportunities or effective marketing strategies. It is like a 24/7 business advisor — or a COO, CFO, and CMO rolled into one,” said Kandal.

The AI Merchant Assistant is not just a generic chatbot. Unlike tools like ChatGPT used by general consumers, this AI assistant processes merchant-specific data such as menu items, transaction history, and customer behavior. This means every recommendation it provides is based on actual business insights, not just broad patterns or templates.

Personalized AI for business needs

Grab’s new AI assistant was built using large language models (LLMs) and is customized with Grab’s proprietary domain knowledge. This allows the assistant to deliver real-time suggestions, operational support, and marketing insights directly through the Grab merchant app.

For example, once the AI feature goes live, merchants will notice a new AI icon in their merchant application. Clicking this icon will grant them access to a smart dashboard where the AI will present various actionable items. One feature enables the detection of menu items that lack accompanying images. The assistant will then recommend adding photos and even guide the merchant on how to upload them for better visual appeal and higher customer engagement.

Additionally, the AI will offer ongoing business suggestions based on current food trends, seasonal changes, and localized consumer data. These recommendations are not generic, but tailor-made based on each merchant's data and performance.

The primary goal of this AI assistant is to empower merchants with tools that previously required time, expertise, and dedicated manpower. Whether it's a single food stall or a large multi-branch business, Grab’s AI can help improve operational efficiency with real-time insights.

For instance, the AI can analyze which dishes are trending in a specific neighborhood and suggest adding similar items to the menu. It can also highlight slow-moving items and provide suggestions to boost their performance through bundled promotions or discounts.

By taking over these time-consuming tasks, the AI assistant lets merchants focus on what they do best: cooking great food and serving their customers.

Grab’s partnership with OpenAI and Anthropic is not merely about adding a new tool to the app — it reflects a commitment to innovation and growth. OpenAI, known for developing ChatGPT, brings in its deep expertise in conversational AI and natural language understanding. Meanwhile, Anthropic contributes with a safety-first approach to AI development, ensuring that the assistant operates responsibly and accurately in real-world business settings.

This collaboration helps Grab move beyond traditional food delivery services and evolve into a tech-driven business solutions provider, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

According to Philipp Kandal, merchant feedback played a significant role in shaping the features of the AI assistant. Grab conducted extensive testing with a small group of merchants prior to launch. The feedback highlighted a strong desire for features that could save time, increase earnings, and reduce operational hassle.

In response, the development team prioritized real-use cases — like optimizing menu photos, managing peak hour operations, and recommending competitive pricing strategies.

More advanced tools are expected in future updates, including performance prediction tools, AI-driven customer engagement tips, and localized marketing campaign generators. Grab has also committed to continuously improving the assistant based on merchant feedback and usage patterns.

AI as a core of Grab’s strategy

The launch of the AI Merchant Assistant marks a turning point for Grab’s digital strategy. The company is signaling a shift from simply being a logistics and delivery app to becoming a platform where businesses can scale intelligently.

With AI now embedded in its core merchant services, Grab is laying the groundwork for a smarter and more connected Southeast Asian economy. This move could inspire similar AI integrations in other sectors within the region, from logistics and ride-hailing to retail and services.

As AI technology continues to evolve, Grab’s collaboration with OpenAI and Anthropic could also pave the way for customer-facing features, such as smarter ordering experiences or personalized meal recommendations.

Grab partners with OpenAI and Anthropic to launch AI assistant for merchants — a bold and strategic move that reflects the future of digital business in Southeast Asia. By equipping merchants with powerful AI tools tailored to their needs, Grab is not only simplifying business operations but also empowering partners to grow smarter, faster, and more efficiently. As competition in the delivery space heats up, such innovations will likely define which platforms lead the market and which fall behind.

With this rollout, Grab is offering more than just an app — it's offering intelligence, insight, and innovation to every entrepreneur in its ecosystem.