Could ride-hailing apps be replaced in the future? Bolt takes bookings directly through ChatGPT for first time
- Perry Richardson
- 8 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Bolt has become the first ride-hailing platform in the UK and Europe to allow customers to book journeys through ChatGPT, creating a new route for passengers to access its private hire services.
The integration enables users to tell ChatGPT where they want to travel, view an upfront Bolt fare estimate, compare available options and continue to the booking process without first opening the Bolt app.
Kimberly Hurd, Senior General Manager for Bolt UKI, said the development was primarily intended to simplify the customer journey.
“On the surface, it looks like a new way to book a taxi. But for customers, it’s really about something much simpler: saving time,” Hurd said.
The launch reduces the need for passengers to move between journey-planning, mapping and ride-hailing applications when arranging transport. Bolt is positioning ChatGPT as an additional point of access rather than relying entirely on customers beginning their journey inside its own platform.
Hurd said: “Every day, people switch between apps to plan journeys, compare options, and book transport. As AI becomes part of how we make decisions, those extra steps start to disappear.”
She added: “Now, you can ask ChatGPT where you need to go, see an upfront fare estimate, compare your options, and continue straight to booking your Bolt ride, all without breaking the flow of the conversation.”
The development could have wider implications for taxi and private hire booking services. If passengers increasingly begin travel searches through conversational AI, operators may need to compete for visibility within AI platforms as well as through their own apps, search engines and conventional advertising.
Bolt’s early integration gives the company a first-mover position in the UK and European ride-hailing market. Rival platforms including Uber, Freenow by Lyft and Gett could face pressure to offer similar booking routes if passengers begin to adopt AI assistants as a regular travel-planning tool.
The model could also eventually create opportunities for traditional taxi booking networks and independent operators. AI services capable of searching multiple providers could potentially direct passengers towards licensed taxis, wheelchair accessible vehicles or locally based firms according to the journey requested.
However, the overall commercial impact will depend on how passengers use the service, how prominently individual transport providers are presented and whether consumers are able to compare equivalent fares and service types fairly.
Bolt linked the launch to rising use of generative AI in the UK, citing Deloitte findings that more than 18 million people have used the technology. It also said 74% of people using generative AI for work reported that it improved their productivity.
Hurd said the change reflected a wider move beyond using AI solely to retrieve information.
“People are increasingly turning to AI not just to find information, but to help them make decisions and get things done,” she said.
She added: “The future of mobility isn’t simply about getting from A to B. It’s about making travel effortless at the exact moment people need it.”
