From Skepticism to Possibility: Neetu Yadav, Staff General Program Manager, Gen AI at Uber, on Making AI Part of Everyday Work
“Technology matters only when it expands what people believe they can do.” Meet Neetu Yadav, Staff General Program Manager, Gen AI at Uber. In this interview with Women Who Win for the next installment of our Women in AI series, she shares her journey from studying computer science in India to leading enterprise AI adoption, her tips for getting started with AI, and how AI has become her “logistics co-pilot” as a twin mom. Enjoy!
1. Tell us your story. What has your journey looked like, and what continues to excite and inspire you about technology and innovation?
My path began with a computer science degree in India and a business analyst role, where I discovered I loved translating between technology and the people it serves. Since then, I’ve worked across analytics, program leadership, and AI enablement, helping teams turn emerging technology into everyday practice. What still inspires me is simple: technology matters only when it expands what people believe they can do. The moment someone moves from skepticism to possibility, and begins using AI to do more meaningful work, is the moment that keeps me energized.
2. For someone just beginning to integrate AI into their workflow, what are two or three changes you would encourage them to make?
First, treat AI as a collaborator, not a search engine. Give it context, name the outcome you want, and iterate because the best results are rarely in the first prompt. Second, begin with a repetitive task, not your hardest one. Small wins create a habit, and habits compound. Third, learn out loud. Share what works, what doesn’t, and what you’re discovering. AI fluency spreads through communities faster than through any training course.
3. What has it been like helping shape enterprise AI adoption while the technology is evolving so quickly? What have been your key learnings?
It’s energizing and humbling. The technology changes faster than any static playbook, so the real work is building the capacity to learn and adapt. My biggest lessons: anchor on durable problems, not today’s tools; and remember that adoption is fundamentally change management, not deployment. Providing access is the easy part. Building confidence, trust, and new work habits is the work that lasts. The most effective approach is simple: use AI, help others learn, and build what can scale.
4. What are the key ingredients for turning early AI adoption into lasting behavior change and measurable productivity gains?
Four things: visible leadership support paired with grassroots champions; AI embedded in the flow of work rather than added as another destination; community and recognition that make momentum contagious; and measurement that focuses on outcomes, not clicks. Look at time returned, faster decisions, smoother handoffs, and—most importantly—what people do with that reclaimed capacity. Change sticks when people can feel the difference in their own work and see the value it creates.
5. What is one way you use AI outside of work that you now can't imagine living without?
As a twin mom, AI has become my logistics co-pilot. It helps with meal plans, travel, and the family calendar. It doesn’t replace the human moments; it gives me more room for them.
6. And we like to end with, what is your next big dream?
To help shape more human-centered, AI-enabled ways of working, and bring more women into AI leadership along the way. The future is still being written; I want more of us holding the pen.