Uber has removed two senior technology executives from its AI data-labeling division as part of a wider leadership transition at the business, the company said. The two departures involve Naga Kasu, who served as senior director of engineering, and Pankaj Kamat, director of product at Uber AI Solutions.
The departures were confirmed by an Uber spokesperson. The changes follow a period of active development for the unit, which Uber launched in 2024 to provide data-preparation services for artificial intelligence systems.
The division relies on a distributed network of gig workers to perform tasks that feed into model training and validation. Among the activities the workforce handles are validating coding outputs, recording spoken audio across a range of scenarios and languages, and labeling video footage intended for driverless-vehicle applications.
Uber has secured several notable clients for the business. Customers cited by the company include Alphabet Inc., self-driving truck developer Aurora Innovation Inc., and game developer Niantic Inc. Uber has also been pursuing additional enterprise engagements, including talks with Salesforce Inc., as it looks to expand the business.
Despite the leadership turnover, an Uber spokesperson described the business as having strong momentum. The company said it is focused on establishing a more durable position in a market that is currently dominated by a small number of established providers - notably a Meta Platforms-backed firm and Mercor.io Corp.
The management changes come as Uber seeks to scale operational capacity while winning new commercial contracts. The division’s model - using on-demand workers to perform labeling and data-prep tasks - is positioned to serve multiple industries, from search and enterprise software to autonomous mobility and gaming.
Uber did not provide further operational detail about the leadership transition or how responsibilities will be reassigned. The company characterized the departures as part of a broader restructuring at the division while signaling continued confidence in the business’s growth prospects.
Observers and clients will likely monitor how the unit navigates competition and leadership continuity while deepening relationships with enterprise customers and technology partners.