In many U.S. cities today, your dinner might arrive not from a driver behind the wheel, but from a small autonomous robot cruising down the sidewalk – AI at work in our everyday lives. That’s the story of Serve Robotics, a company led by Dr. Ali Kashani, whose mission is to make delivery smarter, cleaner, and faster using artificial intelligence and advanced robotics.
Serve’s delivery robots are part of a new wave of “last‑mile” technology: compact, electric sidewalk robots that deliver food and goods ordered through apps. These bots are designed to navigate complex urban environments, avoid obstacles, and bring meals straight to customers’ doors with no human driver involved – a real‑world example of AI and robotics moving out of research labs and onto public streets.
Who Is Ali Kashani?
Dr. Ali Kashani is the co‑founder and CEO of Serve Robotics, and a recognized innovator in autonomous delivery technology. Born in Tehran, Iran, Kashani grew up with a passion for technology that led him abroad to study at the University of British Columbia, where he earned both his Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and his Doctorate in Robotics. He recently won the 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year® Bay Area Award, an honor that highlights his leadership in scaling AI robotics from concept to everyday use.
Kashani’s journey with Serve began inside Postmates, where robotics development initially started. In 2021, after Uber acquired Postmates, Serve was formally organized as a separate, independent company with its own leadership and investors – including Uber as one of the partners — so it could grow beyond the parent brand and focus on scaling autonomous delivery systems.
AI Robots Delivering Your Dinner? It’s Already Happening
Serve’s robots are now running deliveries in cities like Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, and more. They operate in partnership with platforms like Uber Eats – and recently expanded to work with DoorDash, meaning more customers will soon see these bots completing orders from local restaurants. And one of the perks? You don’t have to worry about the robot eating your food.
These machines are more than cool gadgets. They’re designed to:
- Navigate sidewalks autonomously using onboard AI and sensors
- Reduce delivery costs by automating the “last mile” of food transport
- Lower emissions by replacing vehicle trips with electric robots
- Extend delivery access in dense urban neighborhoods
Customers place an order through a delivery app, and a nearby robot may be assigned to carry the food from the restaurant to the address – often covering short distances more efficiently than traditional drivers.
Real‑World Impact and Growth
Serve’s autonomous delivery fleet has completed tens of thousands of deliveries, and the company is pushing toward deploying thousands more robots nationwide. These bots represent a growing trend in automation, showing how AI can help tackle logistical challenges like driver shortages, traffic congestion, and the rising costs of on‑demand delivery.
But It’s Not All Smooth Sailing
Even as Serve and other companies push forward with autonomous deliveries, real‑world challenges and mixed public reactions are part of the story. In cities like Atlanta, residents and local media have noticed delivery robots pausing or appearing “stuck” on uneven sidewalks and near obstacles like trash cans – highlighting how complex urban environments can still confuse navigation systems.
Critics – including some tech reporters – have also called these bots “annoying,” pointing out that they sometimes block foot traffic or slow down pedestrians and cyclists, even if they technically have names and friendly designs.
Meanwhile, experts note that infrastructure and regulations in many cities weren’t originally designed for autonomous machines – meaning sidewalk space, safety standards, accessibility, and privacy considerations still need development before robots become truly seamless parts of daily life.
This doesn’t mean the technology is failing, but it does show that innovation and adoption don’t always move at the same pace, especially when real-world conditions are unpredictable.
Looking Ahead
AI-powered delivery robots like those from Serve Robotics represent an exciting frontier in city life – but technology doesn’t evolve in a vacuum. Real-world streets, diverse communities, and everyday users shape how innovations are accepted and improved. As this sector continues to adapt and expand, it will be fascinating to watch how both robots and cities evolve together.
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