According to reports, Meta AI is testing personalized shopping recommendations to take on ChatGPT and Gemini. Along with social media, Meta is testing new shopping and research capabilities in its AI assistant. According to a report, the company is developing features that will allow users to research products and get shopping recommendations directly from its AI assistant, named Meta AI. The move is reportedly an extension of Meta’s ongoing efforts to compete with other AI platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, which have recently added new features to their browsing and shopping tools.
Meta AI’s shopping feature
According to a Bloomberg report, Meta’s new shopping tool is being rolled out to select users of the US-based Meta AI web interface. Users can request product recommendations, such as clothing, electronics or accessories, and the chatbot will show a carousel of product images. Citing a Meta spokesperson, the report said the shopping tool is being tested, but declined to provide further details on revenue generation plans.
What can Meta’s AI assistant do?
Instead of redirecting users to an external website or search engine, the AI assistant can provide a summary of the product. According to the report, each product card has a caption detailing the brand, website and price. The chatbot also explains in bullet-point format why the products were recommended.
Users will also be able to ask questions and get links to the shopping platform
Users will be able to ask questions in simple language, such as comparing smartphones, laptops or home appliances, and get detailed information such as price ranges, feature comparisons and potential pros and cons. The report also suggests that Meta may integrate links to online retail merchants or shopping platforms in the future.
AI assistant gives surprising personalized suggestions
When necessary, chatbot suggestions will be personalized based on information already collected about meta users, such as location and assumed gender. For example, during testing, when a user was asked to search for a puffer jacket, the AI assistant took context from the user’s location in New York and recommended women’s jackets based on the name associated with the account.
What are ChatGPT and Google doing
For example, ChatGPT has introduced agentic shopping experiences that help customers explore products and, in some cases, make purchases through instant checkout integration with partner merchants. Meanwhile, Google is expanding AI-based shopping features in its search engine and Gemini app. Anticipating increasing competition in the AI field, AI companies are trying to make their assistants more than just chatting interfaces.
