Uber Buys Data Labeling Startup in Push to Sell AI Services

Uber Technologies Inc. has acquired the Belgian startup Segments.ai, a move that is part of the company's push to sell AI services. Uber aims to expand its data-labeling business, which involves preparing data for machine learning models. The acquisition of Segments.ai, a startup that specializes in data labeling, is expected to strengthen Uber's capabilities in this area. The deal comes as Uber looks to diversify its revenue streams beyond its core ride-hailing business, which was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. By offering data-labeling services, Uber hopes to capitalize on the growing demand for AI-powered solutions across various industries. The company believes that its experience in building complex machine learning models for its own operations can be leveraged to serve other businesses. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Uber's move to buy Segments.ai underscores the increasing importance of data labeling in the development of AI systems and the company's ambition to become a provider of such services.