Shopping assistant chatbots were new a year ago. Now they are everywhere.
Since the introduction of AI-powered assistants, online merchants and technology companies have begun adding more artificial intelligence functions make online shopping easier and more convenient.
The latest set of AI-powered shopping services and tools debuted in recent weeks, just in time to kick off the holiday shopping season that begins with Black Friday.
Here's a rundown of existing and newly released AI services that can help you find the perfect gift in the run-up to Christmas:
Amazon led the way with the launch of its chatbot Rufus in 2024. Other e-commerce websites have followed suit, using their own AI assistants to improve the online shopping experience.
Walmart's Sparky chatbot is available on the retail giant's app and can synthesize reviews or offer product recommendations based on events such as Christmas. Target recently introduced a gift-finding chatbot in its app, but it's only available during the holidays. Ralph Lauren partnered with Microsoft to create a chatbot called “Ask Ralph” that provided style recommendations.
The purpose of deploying chatbots is to make it easier for people to find what they are looking for. Instead of typing search terms and keywords, you can type or use voice dictation to talk back and forth.
The results, in my experience, can be mixed.
I recently tried Rufus to find a replacement stainless steel pan for my rice cooker, as well as a protective stand for my kitchen sink faucet. In both cases, the results were not entirely correct and did not seem to cover the wide range of products available. Sometimes the results were completely inappropriate.
I ended up doing a more painstaking search of product listing images and features to find the items I was looking for. I suspect part of the problem is that I was looking for generic products. Finding products from well-known brands may yield better results.
You may not want to limit yourself to just one retailer's website when looking for Christmas shopping. Or you don't know where exactly to find that perfect gift.
Technology platforms have introduced AI-powered shopping tools that can cast a wider net by searching across multiple sites.
OpenAI Adds New “Purchasing Research” peculiarity on ChatGPT last week, which can provide personalized buying advice for products with detailed specifications, such as electronics or home appliances. This feature is activated when you ask ChatGPT a shopping-related question or manually enable it in the chat window. OpenAI says it can go beyond simple questions like price checks or features that regular ChatGPT can easily answer.
Google users can get a similar experience using its AI search engine, which recently received a big update for shopping searches. The company says users can describe what they're looking for as if they were talking to a friend, and receive a “smartly organized answer” based on 50 billion product listings with images, prices, reviews and availability information.
Last month, Google added similar shopping features to its Gemini AI chatbot app for US users.
Meanwhile, last week Perplexity introduced its own shopping assistant feature that can tailor recommendations based on previous searches.
I asked all three of them to find a soft cotton flannel shirt. Both ChatGPT and Perplexity asked me to provide specific requirements such as budget and must-have features. ChatGPT's response was the most detailed, including options from six brands, including top picks, and included photos, prices and short descriptions for each shirt. The results were also summarized in a comparative table.
The results from Google, which did not ask further questions after my initial query, were the most general. Perplexity's results were intermediate.
So you think you've found a stylish cardigan for your spouse. But you're not sure about the silhouette or the atmosphere.
Generative AI “try-on” tools allow users to see how an item of clothing might look on the wearer.
Existing virtual dressing room tools rely on sophisticated 3D renderings, real-life photo shoots, and augmented reality. Often, buyers were limited to choosing the model that best suited their body type to see how the clothes fit.
Google Now Uses AI to Let Shoppers Virtually try on clothes and shoes using your images in simple poses. Exceptions include accessories such as hats or jewelry, swimwear and underwear.
To use the feature, which is available through Google's desktop shopping search and mobile app in Australia, Japan, Canada and the US, simply click the Try On button on a product photo, then add a full-length photo of yourself. You can then save or share your image of the item being tested. The original photo is also saved to your account, so you don't have to constantly upload new images.
If you're buying a gift for someone, Google says you can upload their photo, but only if you have their permission.
Now that you've figured out exactly what to get the special people on your Christmas gift list, it's time to buy. But if you want to outsource some of the work, “agent-based artificial intelligence” tools can help.
Amazon users can use an “artificial intelligence agent” to buy a product on their behalf if the price drops to their desired level. Google has launched its own “agent review” feature that can automatically buy the product you follow using its price tracking feature. Google's feature is available to a small group of retailers, including Wayfair, Chewy and Quince, as well as some Shopify merchants.
Both companies say they will always vet you before an AI agent makes a purchase.
Amazon is taking it one step further by allowing customers to buy out-of-stock items directly from other brands' websites. If you see a product in the Amazon Shopping app with a “Buy for Me” button, you can buy it through Amazon's regular checkout page, but then an AI agent will complete the transaction on another brand's website with your encrypted payment details. This feature was in test mode, but is now being rolled out more widely.
Prefer to buy in person? Before you go shopping, it's a good idea to make sure your brick-and-mortar store has the item you're looking for. Google has launched an artificial intelligence service that will call local stores and ask.
It is only available in the US for toys, electronics, health and beauty products. When searching Google for the product you're looking for, add “near me” to the end of your search query. Then, if you see “Allow Google Call” when scrolling through the results, you can click the “Get Started” button. Answer a few questions about what you're purchasing and whether you'd like to receive updates by email or text.
Google will then contact stores near you and ask if the item is in stock.
The bot is fast, but results may be limited. When an AP reporter in New Jersey asked Google to call about a specific Acer monitor, an agent quickly returned with a response from a local computer repair shop that sold refurbished monitors. He seemed to ignore the nearby big box electronics stores.
According to Google's text message, a local repair shop didn't have the monitor, but did have one that was similar in size—without the other bells and whistles—at a lower price.
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