Grab's CTO says robots will become as important to the superapp's future as human drivers, with the company deploying its Carri robot for deliveries in Singapore while testing a 1+n strategy that includes competitors' robots.

On May 20, Grab announced that its robot Carri will start deliveries in Singapore's Punggol district, a hub for testing robotic services. Carri has already been operating in Grab's Singapore headquarters alongside robots from other companies.

Grab uses a 1+n strategy, where it does not require business units to use only its own robots; instead, the company keeps multiple options in-house to stay competitive. CTO Suthen Paradatheth stated: 'We don't see our autonomous vehicles or delivery robots as substitutes for people. We see them as complementary to what our driver partners already do.'

Grab has embedded over 1,000 AI models into its platforms and is guided by the principle 'AI first, with heart.' The company developed an AI-powered translation model that is 90% accurate and can capture informal contractions and 'SMS speak' for Southeast Asia's languages.