Billionaire entrepreneur Travis Kalanick, best known for co-founding Uber, has revealed his vision for the future of his company CloudKitchens, which involves delivering AI-perfected meals directly to customers. Speaking at the Abundance Summit in Los Angeles, Kalanick hinted at a full-stack future for CloudKitchens, moving beyond its current model of providing real estate and kitchen spaces for restaurants to fulfill food deliveries.

Kalanick drew parallels between CloudKitchens and earlier disruptions in other industries, citing the examples of taxi apps and gaming company Zynga. He warned that restaurants relying on third-party platforms like Uber Eats or DoorDash face the risk of being squeezed by these platforms. This sentiment suggests that CloudKitchens is aiming to create a more integrated and controlled food delivery ecosystem.

When asked about the future of CloudKitchens and its use of AI, Kalanick discussed the concept of "cooking-as-a-service," where healthy meals would be made available to all, not just the wealthy. He also touched on the role of AI in transforming the physical world, distinguishing between "AI for bits" (such as chatbots) and "atoms AI" (AI that interacts with the physical world). Although Kalanick's comments were brief, they provided a glimpse into CloudKitchens' ambitious plans.

Kalanick is not the only billionaire entrepreneur pursuing AI-driven food services. Marc Lore, founder of e-commerce company Jet.com, has raised substantial funding for his venture, Wonder, which launched as a ghost kitchen but is expanding its ambitions. Last November, Lore told TechCrunch that Wonder aims to "put the pieces together to… manage what you eat and your health in a way that's never been done before."

Lore envisions an AI system that integrates with customers' dietary preferences, health goals, and wearable device data to provide personalized meal recommendations. This "super app for mealtime" would revolutionize the way people plan and consume meals. Given Lore's track record of disrupting industries, his vision for Wonder adds credibility to the idea that AI-driven food services may soon replace traditional cooking.

Both CloudKitchens and Wonder have secured significant funding, with Wonder raising $1.6 billion from investors and CloudKitchens reportedly raising a similar amount. While details about CloudKitchens' plans remain scarce, Kalanick's comments and Lore's vision for Wonder suggest that the food tech industry is on the cusp of a major transformation.

The implications of AI-driven food services are far-reaching, with potential benefits including healthier meal options, increased convenience, and reduced food waste. As these technologies continue to evolve, it will be interesting to see how they disrupt traditional cooking and meal planning, and how consumers respond to these new offerings.

In conclusion, the convergence of AI, food tech, and entrepreneurial vision is poised to revolutionize the way we eat and interact with food. With Kalanick's CloudKitchens and Lore's Wonder at the forefront of this movement, the future of food delivery and meal planning looks increasingly exciting and uncertain.