Uber Technologies is eliminating roughly 10 percent of its global customer service workforce and ordering remote employees back to the office, a move the company says is necessary to simplify operations and deepen its embrace of artificial intelligence.

The San Francisco-based ride-hailing and delivery giant confirmed the cuts on Wednesday, telling Bloomberg that the reductions would fall primarily on customer support roles that the company believes can be streamlined or partially automated through AI tools. An Uber spokesperson said the decision reflects a broader effort to strengthen in-person collaboration while continuing to invest in machine-learning systems that handle rider and driver inquiries.

The layoffs add Uber to a growing list of technology and services companies that have reduced head counts this year while expanding their AI budgets. In June, Uber capped staff use of AI coding assistants after exhausting its entire 2026 AI software budget in just four months, limiting individual engineers to a fraction of their previous tool allowances. The new customer service cuts suggest the company is now targeting operational roles rather than restricting only developer tooling.

Labor advocates and some industry analysts have criticized the timing of the announcement, noting that Uber had previously promoted remote work as a permanent feature of its corporate culture. Employees affected by the return-to-office mandate will have several weeks to relocate or accept severance packages, according to people familiar with the policy who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Uber's shares were little changed in after-hours trading following the news. The company is scheduled to report second-quarter earnings next week, when executives are expected to provide more detail on how AI investments are reshaping its cost structure.

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