Grab’s new delivery AI robots to ease Singapore’s worker shortages and labour costs
Grab will pilot its AI delivery robot, Carri, in Singapore’s Punggol district in late 2026 to handle the first and last 100 meters of deliveries, addressing labor shortages and inefficiencies. The move aligns with Singapore’s broader push for AI augmentation, with government support for testing autonomous systems across logistics, cleaning, and security tasks.
Grab plans to launch a pilot of its first AI delivery robot, named Carri, in Singapore’s Punggol district in late 2026. The robot will manage the first and last 100-meter segments of deliveries, including transporting food or parcels from roadside pickup points to apartment doorsteps. Grab estimates these short distances account for around 10% of total delivery time, often involving repetitive tasks like walking, locating units, and handoffs. The initiative aims to ease labor shortages and high costs in Singapore’s delivery sector while improving service coverage in underserved areas. Grab chief technology officer Suthen Paradatheth highlighted that autonomous systems could expand services in supply-constrained markets. Punggol has been chosen as a testing ground, with seven other firms, including DHL and local startup Quikbot, also piloting autonomous systems for tasks like parcel handling, cleaning, and security. Singapore’s government, led by Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, will support the trials through shared testing infrastructure and safety regulations. The focus is on AI augmentation—enhancing worker efficiency rather than replacing jobs. Teo emphasized that these tools could extend services to harder-to-reach areas while creating new job opportunities in remote monitoring, data work, and equipment maintenance. Grab’s robotics project is part of its broader AI strategy, which includes partnerships with OpenAI for mapping, accessibility, and customer support. The company has also invested in autonomous vehicle firms like WeRide, May Mobility, and Momenta. Grab CEO Anthony Tan previously stated that automation could generate new job paths rather than eliminate existing ones. The pilot aligns with Singapore’s growing AI ecosystem. On the same day of the announcement, OpenAI pledged S$300 million to Singapore’s AI capabilities, establishing its first applied AI lab outside the U.S. NVIDIA also announced a local research center focused on embodied AI. Grab’s approach integrates AI tools into daily workflows, with human oversight ensuring software reliability before deployment.
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