He Built Uber Eats to $25B, Now He's Pushing AI Beyond Chat | Stephen Chau

Stephen, co-founder of Cove, discusses the innovative AI-driven workspace, Cove, which offers a visual interface for collaboration, diverging from traditional chat-based AI interactions. Cove's dynamic platform allows users to create customizable workspaces and AI applications, enhancing productivity and creativity. Stephen highlights Cove’s ability to adapt to user needs, such as planning trips or educational projects, by generating relevant content and tools. He also reflects on his experience building Uber Eats, emphasizing the importance of a diverse team and ambitious goals. Stephen envisions AI as a collaborative thought partner, reshaping how we interact with technology.

• The idea of a generative UI involves dynamically creating a workspace layout tailored to the user's current task.
• It aims to understand user intent, break down problems, and assist in making progress.
• For example, it can automatically generate transcripts for a task like planning a trip.

"Imagine the entire layout of the workspace is actually something made just in time based on what you're trying to do."

• The generative UI adapts in real-time to user needs, providing a customized interface for each task.

• Stephen played a pivotal role in building Uber Eats from scratch to a $25 billion enterprise.
• The initial team was a mix of long-time Uber employees and new talent in product and design.
• This blend of experience and fresh perspectives was crucial for the project's success.

"Stephen built Uber Eats from scratch, of course with his team, to a $25 billion business."

• Stephen's leadership and the team's diverse skills were instrumental in the rapid growth of Uber Eats.

• Cove is an AI-driven visual workspace designed to work collaboratively with users.
• It offers a groundbreaking interface that differs from traditional chat-based AI interactions.
• The platform allows users to edit content directly and collaboratively with AI.

"Cove is a Sequoia-backed startup that lets you work with AI through a groundbreaking visual interface instead of using chat threads."

• Cove's visual interface enables more natural and interactive collaboration with AI.

• Cove helps plan trips by building a workspace that includes city comparisons and itinerary suggestions.
• It uses cards to gather user preferences and information to create a detailed plan.
• Users can add and edit content, such as tables of kid-friendly museums, with AI assistance.

"Cove is now going to be building out the workspace to try to help you figure out how to deal with this task."

• Cove's workspace adapts to user inputs, helping to organize and plan complex tasks like travel itineraries.

• Cove functions as a visual canvas where users can explore and edit content collaboratively.
• It supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work together and invoke AI simultaneously.
• The platform's design facilitates a co-creative process similar to human collaboration.

"Everything in this space is fully editable by you."

• The editable nature of Cove's workspace allows users to tailor content and collaborate seamlessly.

• Cove uses context to anticipate user needs and suggest actions, making it easy to iterate on tasks.
• Users can provide additional context through cards, which can automatically update related content.
• The platform supports various input types, including URLs, PDFs, and videos, enhancing context building.

"The AI is always trying to understand the context of what you're working on."

• Cove's context-aware AI provides personalized assistance, improving task efficiency and user experience.

• Cove allows users to share workspaces with others, facilitating collaboration and feedback.
• Users can download and move cards to other platforms, supporting the creation of presentations and documents.

"You can share this out to particular people or you can make it read only to, and share out a link."

• The sharing and exporting features enhance collaboration and allow for the integration of Cove's content into other workflows.

• Cove can generate lists, such as premium snacks in Japan, complete with images and regional categorization.
• The platform uses web search and image APIs, like Bing, to gather and display relevant information.

"Create a card with pictures of premium snacks to buy in Japan, maybe by region."

• Cove's ability to compile and present detailed lists showcases its versatility and utility for diverse tasks.

• The AI app feature allows users to integrate class materials, like lecture notes and videos, into Cove's workspace.
• This feature supports academic use cases, helping students organize and study course content.

"This is a space where, imagine you are putting in your class materials because you're studying."

• The AI app feature enhances Cove's applicability for educational purposes, making it a valuable tool for students.

• Cove allows users to create AI applications directly within the platform, utilizing content like videos, PDFs, and documents.
• Users can build applications such as multiple-choice quizzes by referencing transcribed content, enhancing educational engagement.
• Applications created in Cove leverage workspace information for collaborative and interactive learning experiences.

"With this new feature that we launched, you can actually build AI apps right here within Cove."

• Cove's new feature empowers users to create AI applications, enhancing the platform's utility.

"You can drop in videos, PDFs, word documents, and so all of that just automatically gets added to the context in the space."

• Cove seamlessly integrates various content types into its workspace, facilitating easy access to information.

"You can actually take that lecture transcript and then now we're going to create a multiple-choice quiz on it."

• Users can generate educational tools like quizzes from transcribed lectures, promoting interactive learning.

• Cove supports real-time collaboration in workspaces, allowing users to create and interact with applications simultaneously.
• The platform facilitates teamwork, enabling users to observe and participate in activities like quizzes or brainstorming sessions.
• Cove's collaborative features enhance productivity and creativity in group settings.

"Because you are creating these apps within a co-workspace, then there's a bunch of other properties as part of the workspace that you just kind of get for free."

• Cove's collaborative workspace offers inherent functionalities that enhance user interaction and productivity.

"You can invite other people, and you can be collaborating together; you can do the same thing with these apps as well."

• Users can invite others to collaborate in real-time, fostering a dynamic and interactive environment.

"It's really fascinating to think about a group of people working together, and they can just in time create any application to do something together."

• Cove's collaborative capabilities allow teams to quickly develop applications for various tasks, enhancing group efficiency.

• Users can create personalized applications for specific projects, utilizing Cove's flexible and intuitive interface.
• Cove supports educational and personal projects, such as aquarium management or snail identification apps.
• The platform enables users to visualize and track project progress through custom applications.

"This is actually my daughter's space... she's setting up an aquarium."

• Cove supports personal projects, allowing users to create applications that assist in managing and visualizing project tasks.

"She created an app to help track the progress of her aquarium."

• Users can develop custom applications to monitor and manage project details, enhancing organization and efficiency.

"This is her snail identification app; she's able to answer different questions about the snail."

• Personalized applications like the snail identification app demonstrate Cove's versatility in addressing unique user needs.

• Cove acts as a thought partner, assisting users in decision-making processes through AI-generated suggestions and applications.
• The platform anticipates user needs, offering tools like cost-of-living comparison apps for informed decision-making.
• Cove's AI capabilities streamline complex tasks, providing users with valuable insights and solutions.

"A user we were chatting with recently... using Cove as their thought partner to try to figure out whether they want to move."

• Cove serves as a decision-making aid, helping users evaluate options and make informed choices.

"If you're considering doing this move, maybe you actually want to create an app which will help you figure out the costs of living comparison."

• AI-generated suggestions in Cove provide users with practical tools for evaluating significant life decisions.

"The AI is suggesting that I make an app."

• Cove's AI proactively recommends application development that aligns with user goals, enhancing decision-making efficiency.

• Cove explores the potential of generative UI, envisioning dynamic interfaces tailored to user needs.
• The platform aims to develop more comprehensive and intuitive user experiences as AI capabilities advance.
• Cove's vision includes creating generative UIs that adapt to user tasks, enhancing interaction and productivity.

"What we're trying to do is try to figure out what is the right UI for AI."

• Cove is focused on developing user interfaces that effectively integrate AI capabilities for enhanced user experiences.

"Imagine the entire layout of the workspace and all its contents is actually something made just in time based on what you're trying to do."

• The concept of generative UI envisions real-time, adaptive interfaces that cater to specific user tasks and goals.

"We're excited to see where that goes."

• Cove's ongoing development aims to leverage AI advancements to create more dynamic and user-friendly interfaces.

• The discussion centers on the limitations of chat-focused AI interactions and explores the potential for more human-like collaboration methods.
• The analogy is drawn between historical technological shifts and the current stage of AI, emphasizing the need for new user interface paradigms.

"Those experiences that we're building were very chat-focused... the question that we had for ourselves was, is this actually fundamentally the right way to work with AI?"

• This quote highlights the initial motivation to explore beyond chat-based AI interactions, questioning their effectiveness in leveraging AI's full potential.

"You and I would probably use a whiteboard or like get in a room... thinking is a pretty messy process."

• The quote illustrates how human collaboration often involves dynamic and non-linear processes, unlike the rigid structure of chat threads.

• Historical technological advancements, such as the transition from command line interfaces to graphical user interfaces, are paralleled with current AI development stages.
• The need for new interaction primitives and interfaces that align with AI's evolving capabilities is emphasized.

"When you look at personal computing moving from command line interfaces to graphic user interfaces... each kind of fundamental change required almost like a new UI paradigm."

• This quote draws a parallel between past technological shifts and the current need for a new AI interaction paradigm.

"AI is basically at the DOS stage."

• This analogy suggests that AI is in its early development stages, similar to early personal computing, requiring new interface developments.

• The integration of various AI models into a cohesive product experience is discussed, with an emphasis on balancing performance, cost, and speed.
• The challenges of predicting and adapting to rapidly advancing AI capabilities are explored.

"We feel very fortunate because we can sit on top of all the incredible things that all the other companies build from a model standpoint."

• This quote reflects the strategy of leveraging existing AI models to create a comprehensive product experience.

"As product builders, we're trying to kind of predict the future... the future feels like it's changing faster and faster now."

• The quote underscores the difficulty of planning and adapting in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

• The importance of focusing on the right problems and timing the release of features in a rapidly changing environment is discussed.
• The need to anticipate model advancements and prioritize unique product features is emphasized.

"You might not be focused on the right thing because that thing will actually be solved by a model like in the future."

• This quote highlights the risk of investing in solutions that may soon be rendered obsolete by AI advancements.

"Sometimes you get the timing wrong... you might anticipate that a model is going to be really ready for this particular capability."

• The quote reflects the challenges of timing feature releases in anticipation of AI model capabilities.

• The distinction between long-term vision and short-term roadmap in AI product development is explored.
• The need for flexibility and adaptability in achieving a long-term vision amidst changing technological landscapes is emphasized.

"You can have conviction on a longer-term vision but have a lot of near-term uncertainty of what your roadmap is."

• This quote highlights the separation between steadfast vision and adaptable roadmap in AI development.

"We all feel like there's a particular future that we're trying to fast forward... but exactly how we get there... that ground is shifting."

• The quote illustrates the dynamic nature of AI development, requiring nimbleness in execution.

• The goal of developing a workspace that maximizes AI's potential through collaborative features is discussed.
• The potential for a generative workspace that adapts to user needs is explored.

"What is that magical workspace that allows you to get the most out of AI?"

• This quote encapsulates the pursuit of creating an optimal AI-integrated workspace.

"The workspace itself can actually be more fundamentally generative."

• The quote suggests a transformative approach to workspace design, where it evolves based on user interactions.

• The discussion touches on potential advancements in AI, such as agent-based systems and more thorough reasoning capabilities.
• The importance of orchestrating AI actions within a collaborative workspace is highlighted.

"Agent basically being able to do AI doing more on your behalf... reasoning as... giving AI more time to be more thorough."

• This quote outlines future AI capabilities in terms of autonomous action and enhanced reasoning.

"Having a workspace like Cove... orchestrating those actions... even when they come back to me, we're able to continue to iterate on that work."

• The quote emphasizes the role of a collaborative workspace in managing and iterating on AI-driven tasks.

• Discussion on the integration of AI products as their capabilities improve, emphasizing the potential for AI to enhance project management tools beyond current solutions like Slack and Google Docs.
• The concept of orchestrating multiple AI agents to work on behalf of a user, necessitating a new type of "inbox" or platform for managing these interactions.

"In terms of your question, those expectations from a product standpoint, I think we'll start to become more integrated with AI products as the capabilities improve."

• AI integration is expected to enhance product capabilities, suggesting a future where AI plays a central role in project management.

• The creation of Uber Eats involved assembling a diverse team with a mix of long-term Uber employees and new hires, fostering a blend of experience and fresh perspectives.
• Ambition and clear goals were crucial, with the team aiming to build a business as large as Uber's rideshare service, driving innovation and persistence.
• The importance of treating new business ventures as essential rather than experimental, ensuring they receive adequate resources and attention.

"The initial group that worked on Eats was a really interesting combination of some folks that had been at Uber for a very long period of time... mixed with a new set of folks on the product and design side."

• A diverse team combining experience and new perspectives was key to Uber Eats' success.

"Our goal is to build a business that's the same order of magnitude as the rides business... it was both a very ambitious statement but it was also a very clarifying statement."

• Setting high ambitions provided clarity and direction, pushing the team to innovate and iterate.

"Everyone collectively agreed from the leadership all the way down that we needed to figure out these new businesses because it was existential for Uber as a company."

• The commitment from leadership ensured that Uber Eats was prioritized and supported, allowing it to thrive.

• The shift towards individual empowerment through AI tools suggests a trend back towards generalists, as AI can provide the leverage to perform diverse tasks.
• The potential for AI to become a collaborative thought partner, rather than just a tool, changing how people interact with and utilize AI in their work.

"As you start to see more individual empowerment with all these AI tools, then I do think that the trend line is going to be reverting back towards having people that can be generalists."

• AI tools are expected to empower individuals to perform multiple roles, favoring generalists over specialists.

"We hope that one day we can have that sort of relationship with AI as well... a collaborative thought partner that can actually work with you in that sort of deep manner."

• The vision for AI as a collaborative partner, enhancing creativity and problem-solving.

• Encouragement for product managers (PMs) to rethink their relationship with AI, seeing it as a collaborative partner rather than just a tool.
• The importance of gaining hands-on experience with AI to build intuition and understanding, rather than solely relying on academic learning or structured courses.

"We should be progressing to a place where people almost kind of rethink what their fundamental relationship is with AI."

• PMs should view AI as a collaborative partner, enhancing their work and decision-making processes.

"People just need to start... to tinker and get more fingertippy in terms of playing with these different products."

• Hands-on experimentation with AI is crucial for developing a practical understanding and intuition.

• The discussion emphasizes the low barriers to experimenting with AI, encouraging individuals to dive in and learn through doing, rather than waiting for formal instruction.
• The importance of making time to tinker with AI tools to build practical skills and understanding.

"With AI, just jump in and make a bunch of mistakes... it's fun."

• Experimentation and learning through direct interaction with AI tools are encouraged.

"Make time to tinker, I think that's really important... you just need to actually use the products."

• Practical experience with AI tools is essential for developing effective processes and skills.