Uber has capped employee AI spending at $1,500 per month per tool. The company burned through its annual budget in four months — after actively pushing staff to "use AI to the max" and running internal usage leaderboards.
Why it matters
A familiar corporate arc: mandate AI adoption, set engagement KPIs, watch staff actually comply — then panic at the bill. Uber's answer is spending caps rather than recalibrated expectations. A pattern that's become standard in 2026: "AI-first" in the strategy deck, cost controls in the budget.