Tags: shopping assistant

OpenAI announced it will de‑prioritize the Instant Checkout feature that let users purchase items directly within ChatGPT. Launched in September, the checkout tool failed to attract significant use, prompting the company to pivot toward enhancing product discovery and detailed consumer information. Merchants can still integrate their own checkout experiences through apps in the chatbot, while OpenAI develops its Agentic Commerce Protocol with Stripe to serve as a centralized hub for product research. Read more

Meta is piloting a shopping research tool inside its Meta AI chatbot for a limited group of U.S. users accessing the service through a web browser. The feature presents a carousel of product images, brand names, prices and merchant links when users ask for recommendations, and tailors suggestions using location data and inferred gender. The move puts Meta in direct competition with other AI chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, which are also integrating shopping capabilities and checkout options. Meta has not disclosed whether it earns commissions from the merchant links or gives priority to its own advertisers. Read more

Perplexity has introduced a new AI shopping feature that lets users search for and purchase products directly through its assistant. The service, free for U.S. users, integrates PayPal for instant purchases and tailors recommendations using personal context. Merchants retain full visibility over customers and post‑purchase relationships. The rollout mirrors similar moves by OpenAI and Google, while Amazon has issued a cease‑and‑desist over Perplexity’s ability to complete Amazon purchases via its browser. Read more

Google Lens is being embraced as a versatile AI‑powered visual search tool that helps users translate text, identify objects, verify product details, and gather contextual information in real time. By simply pointing a phone camera at an item or scene, the service delivers instant translations, product comparisons, and educational overviews, making it a practical companion for travel, shopping, and everyday curiosity. Users report increased confidence when navigating foreign menus, confirming rental listings, and exploring unfamiliar art, highlighting the tool’s growing role in daily digital interactions. Read more

Amazon has introduced a new AI-powered feature called Help Me Decide, aimed at guiding indecisive shoppers toward a purchase. The tool appears on product pages in the U.S. when a user has been browsing without committing, and it draws on browsing history, search activity, and prior purchases to suggest a primary product, an upgrade option, and a budget-friendly alternative. Help Me Decide relies on Amazon's Bedrock and SageMaker machine‑learning platforms along with OpenSearch to compile recommendations and incorporate customer reviews. The feature is currently live in the Amazon app and mobile browsers. Read more