AI Chat: AI News & Artificial Intelligence Waabi Raises $1B from Uber and VCs
Jan 28, 2026
A deep dive into Waabi's $1B funding round and Uber's $250M strategic involvement. Discussion of Waabi's AI-first, generalized architecture and simulation-driven training with digital twins. Exploration of trucking focus, freeway deployment plans, vehicle partnerships, and how data sharing via AV labs could reshape autonomous scaling.
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Major Uber-Backed $1B Raise
- Waabi raised $1B including $250M from Uber to deploy robo-taxis and expand beyond trucking.
- The deal ties Waabi to Uber's platform and plans for 25,000+ driver-powered robo-taxis exclusively on Uber.
One AI Stack For Multiple Vehicles
- Waabi claims a single generalized AI stack can run across vehicle types, reducing the need for separate stacks.
- This contrasts with others who split efforts by vehicle class and sometimes exited harder verticals like freight.
Founder's Full-Circle Career Moment
- Raquel Ertsson previously served as chief scientist at Uber's autonomous vehicle division before founding Waabi.
- She then founded Waabi and secured a $250M investment from Uber, closing a full-circle career loop.