Google Launches AI-Powered Shopping Suite with Conversational Search and Automated Purchasing

Google is rolling out conversational shopping -- and ads -- in AI Mode search

In recent months, Google has promised to inject generative AI into the online shopping experience, and now it's following through. The previously announced shopping features of AI Mode search are rolling out, and Gemini will also worm its way into Google's forgotten Duplex automated phone call tech. It's all coming in time for the holidays to allegedly make your gifting more convenient and also conveniently ensure that Google gets a piece of the action. At Google I/O in May, the company announced its intention to bring conversational shopping to AI Mode. According to Google, its enormous "Shopping Graph" or retailer data means its AI is uniquely positioned to deliver useful suggestions. In the coming weeks, users in the US will be able to ask AI Mode complex questions about what to buy, and it will deliver suggestions, guides, tables, and other generated content to help you decide. And since this is gen AI, it comes with the usual disclaimers about possible mistakes. You're probably wondering if there will be sponsored shopping content in these experiences, and that's a big yes. Google says some of the content that appears in AI Mode will be ads, just like if you look up shopping results in a traditional search. Shopping features are also coming to the Gemini app, but Google says it won't have sponsored content in the results for the time being. Google is also releasing a feature called "agentic checkout," a term used only in passing when the company announced the feature alongside AI Mode shopping at I/O. Google is really leaning into the agentic angle now, though. The gist is you can set a price threshold for a product in search, and Google will let you know if the item reaches that price. That part isn't new, but there's now an AI twist. After getting the alert, you can authorize an automatic purchase with Google Pay. However, it's currently only supported at a handful of retailers like Chewy, Wayfair, and some Shopify merchants. It's not clear whether this qualifies as agentic anything, but it might save you some money regardless. AI Mode shopping and agentic checkout are beginning their rollout now, and Google says they will be available widely in time for the holiday shopping season. Somehow, Duplex returned Before the current AI craze, Google was fond of demoing Duplex, an Assistant-based AI designed to carry out real-world tasks on the phone. Google thought people would be willing to trust the AI to check business hours and make appointments, but it never gained much traction. The Duplex prompts slowly disappeared from Assistant over the years. Now, Duplex is back with what Google calls a "big Gemini model upgrade." It won't be making appointments for you, but Google does still plan to use the updated Duplex to allow you to call businesses. This time, Duplex is aimed at saving you from calling stores to check on stock availability. Instead, you can tell the robot what you want, and it will check for you. Google says when you search for certain products near you, you'll see an option to "Let Google Call." You'll have to indicate what specific product you want, and the robot will begin calling around. The robot will identify itself as such when it places calls, which will only happen during business hours and after a reasonable cooldown. If businesses get too annoyed, they're liable to opt out of Duplex calls, which is still an option. Eventually, you'll get an email or text message with AI summaries of the calls that could help you decide where to go. These messages may also include local inventory data from other nearby stores based on Google's Shopping Graph. That sounds like it could mean more sponsored links, but it's unclear. This feature is beginning its rollout today in categories like toys, cosmetics, and electronics. Unsurprisingly, this one is also US-only.

Google augments AI shopping with conversational search, agentic checkout and an AI that calls stores for you | TechCrunch

Google is rolling out a suite of AI shopping updates just ahead of the holiday season. The company on Thursday unveiled a host of new tools and features, including conversational shopping in Google Search, new shopping features within its Gemini app, agentic checkout, and even an AI tool that can call local stores to find out if a product you want is available. The company believes the additions will help improve the online shopping experience, which can still today involve a lot of drudgery, explained Vidhya Srinivasan, VP and GM of ads and commerce at Google, in a press briefing ahead of the launch. "We feel it really shouldn't be so tedious, and shopping should feel -- and can feel -- a lot more natural and easy," she said. "The idea here is we want to hold on to all the fun parts of shopping, like the browsing, like the serendipitous discovery, and things like that, but then skip all the tedious, hard parts." One update will allow consumers to ask shopping questions in AI Mode, Google's conversational search feature that lets you use natural language queries in a chatbot-style interface. The responses will be tailored to your question, and the chatbot will provide images when you need visual inspiration, alongside other details like price, reviews, and available inventory. So if you were looking for cozy sweaters in autumn colors, you'd see photos of the options available to you. But if you were comparing items, like skin care products, Google may instead return insights in a comparison table. Google noted that AI Mode is powered by its Shopping Graph, which includes over 50 billion product listings, 2 billion of which are updated every hour, and said the inventory information you see is usually up-to-date. Another shopping update will enable the Gemini app to provide fleshed-out ideas as responses, instead of just text suggestions in response to shopping-related questions. This is only available to users in the U.S. currently. The company confirmed that consumers using AI Mode will see sponsored listings, but as the features are still experimental, these ads won't appear in the Gemini mobile app just yet. Notably, Google is rolling out agentic checkout within Google Search in the U.S., including in AI Mode. The feature is currently compatible with merchants like Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify stores. To use agentic checkout, you can begin by tracking an item's price to be notified if the price drops to fall within your budget. You can then opt to have Google purchase the item for you on the merchant's website using Google Pay. The company says it will always ask your permission first, and will have you confirm your purchase and shipping details. "This is helpful for shoppers, because they don't have to constantly check to see if the item they want is on sale. And it's great for retailers because it brings back the customer who might otherwise have moved on," said Lilian Rincon, VP of product management for Google Shopping, during the briefing. "Agentic checkout is built on Google's trusted shopping graph and also G Pay, so you can rest assured that you're seeing accurate results and that your payment information is secure," she noted. Another AI feature can call businesses on your behalf to find out if a store carries a product, how much it is for, and whether there are any promotions. The feature is built on Google's Duplex technology, introduced back in 2018, as well as its Shopping Graph and payments infrastructure. After you've provided information about the product you're looking for, the AI will call local stores and make inquiries about the product, then come back to you with a summary of its findings. This feature is rolling out now in the U.S. for specific categories like toys, health and beauty products, and electronics. To use this feature, you can search for products "near me," then use the option "Let Google Call." The AI will then walk you through questions about the items you're searching for. The company says it's being mindful of how merchants will experience these calls, and it will make sure the chatbot will not call too often and is clear about the questions it asks. Retailers can choose to opt out of receiving such calls as well. Those who don't will first hear Google disclose that it's an AI calling on a customer's behalf and only proceed when the recipient of the call says it's okay. Google execs planned to demo the technology during the press briefing on Wednesday, but Wi-Fi issues on their end led them to abandon the demo before it was completed.

Google's Adding Shopping Enhancements to Gemini Ahead of Black Friday

Expertise Phones |Texting apps | iOS | Android | Smartwatches | Fitness trackers | Mobile accessories | Gaming phones | Budget phones | Toys | Star Wars | Marvel | Power Rangers | DC | Mobile accessibility | iMessage | WhatsApp | Signal | RCS Just ahead of the Black Friday holiday shopping season, Google is adding several shopping-related features on Thursday that are meant to use both Gemini and the company's AI Mode in search to assist with finding items for specific tastes and specific prices. Google is dividing these new shopping features into "conversational" and "agentic" in order to describe how they work. Conversational is much the same as writing a prompt to Google's Gemini or in the search engine's AI Mode: You can ask for recommendations for a product based on an individual's taste or needs, and you'll receive suggestions that relate as closely to the request as possible. During an event for showing off these shopping features, one example included searching in AI Mode for a skin moisturizer that's particularly helpful for the cold winter months. A series of moisturizer options was then returned, and with a follow-up prompt, they can be organized into a chart for comparing details like the ingredients in the product. While these conversational options can help with researching for items, Gemini's "agentic" shopping options have tasks that can be assigned to the assistant to help you find items at your desired price. This has price tracking -- which is an existing feature -- and it will be joined by the ability to tell Gemini to make a purchase should the item you want hit a price threshold of your choosing. This ability to directly make a purchase will launch with Wayfair, Chewy, Quince and select Shopify merchants. For items that are primarily available locally, Google's also using its Duplex calling technology in order to call multiple stores on your behalf. An example demoed by Google representatives featured Duplex calling musical instrument stores to find a guitar within a certain price range. The Duplex AI will speak with store employees on the phone, ask follow-up questions and then provide the information in a digest that's sent over email. While Google is giving a particular spotlight to its shopping features ahead of the holiday shopping season, rival AI chatbots have also created their own features to improve researching and buying items. OpenAI's ChatGPT announced its own suite of shopping features earlier this year, and Perplexity has its own shopping features along with a partnership with PayPal.

I let Google's new AI tools take on my holiday shopping list - here's how it went

The Gemini app can reveal product prices and places to buy them. The holiday shopping season is almost upon us, and that means finding the right gifts for family and friends. This annual expedition can be time-consuming as you struggle to figure out what items to buy. Why not turn to your friendly, neighborhood AI to see if it can help? Well, that's Google's pitch this year. In a new blog post, Google touted the latest shopping skills available through AI Mode, Gemini, and even AI agents. You can strike up a conversation in Google's AI mode to discuss your shopping needs. You can get shopping ideas via the Gemini app on your mobile device. You can even send an AI agent on a shopping spree to find out which items are in stock and on sale. Also: Shopping on Black Friday? 5 free ways to price track holiday deals I tried Google's AI-powered shopping tools to see if and how they could help me with my own holiday list. Some of the features are still in the process of rolling out and therefore aren't quite ready yet. But here are the preliminary results based on my testing. First up is Google Search's AI Mode. Here, you can ask questions about a product or category, and Google will serve up the price, reviews, and other details. To try this out, head to Google's search page, select AI Mode, and then type your question. But don't phrase it as just a series of keywords. Write it in natural language as if you were speaking to a friend. Also: I let ChatGPT Atlas do my Walmart shopping for me - here's how the AI browser agent did I told Google that I was looking for a sweet dessert wine as a gift for a friend. In response, the AI suggested six different wines with descriptions and details of each one and links to online retailers where I could purchase them. Google also offered tips on how to package a wine bottle as a gift and how to pair it with chocolate or a fruit tart. The results were helpful, but I was expecting more. However, there should be further enhancements reaching this feature as we get closer to shopping season. So this is one I'll have to revisit. Next on the list are new shopping skills built into the Gemini mobile app. Rather than just present you with simple text-based suggestions, the app will now be able to offer more useful shopping ideas courtesy of Google's Shopping Graph. To try this out, I made sure I was running the latest version of the Gemini app on my iPhone. After firing up the app, I asked the AI to find gift ideas for Doctor Who fans and places to buy them. In response, Gemini suggested clothing, kitchenware, collectibles, media, and games. It also provided descriptions and links for several online and physical retailers where I could buy Who-related merchandise. This is another feature still in the process of rolling out, so it should get even better over time. That brings us to agentic AI through which Google can carry out specific tasks on your behalf. And here's one task that promises to free up your time. Let's say you're looking to buy a certain product locally. You'd typically have to contact all the local stores to see if the item is in stock and what it would cost. Instead, you can tell Google to call for you. Also: Google's AI mode agents can snag event tickets for you now - here's how Using a feature called Duplex technology, Google's AI will call the stores, ask if they carry the item you want, and inquire about any special prices or sales. Further, the AI agent can also track the price of an item that interests you and notify you when it reaches a certain amount. I wasn't able to access the "Let Google Call" option, but I did try the price tracking option. For this, I searched Google for an iPad Air. Tapping one of the product cards let me select the option to check the price. From there, I told it to alert me if the price went below a specific number. I was also able to tell it to automatically buy the product for me if the cost reached my preferred price. At this point, the price hasn't dropped to the level I want, so I wasn't able to fully test this. But the initial process was quick and easy to set up.

Google will let users call stores, browse products, and check out using AI

Google is infusing artificial intelligence into just about every part of how people shop online -- including having an AI tool call local stores on a human's behalf and purchase items automatically. Beginning Thursday (and ahead of the holiday shopping season) Google users in the US will have access to a slew of new AI shopping features, targeting tasks like searching for products, comparing similar items, tracking prices, and finally hitting check out. Some of the features were teased in May at Google I/O. First, Google is adding conversational shopping to search's AI Mode, allowing users to describe in detail what they're looking for: an initial search for "women's sweaters that can be worn with pants or dresses" can then be modified by a follow-up of "more options in gray colors," for example, instead of clicking through filters and adding keywords to queries. The AI-powered response pulls from Google's trove of 50 billion product listings and is tailored to the specific request: a side-by-side chart if the user is asking for comparisons of specific items, or a stream of product image cards if they're looking for general suggestions. Users can click into items, visit retailer sites, see historic pricing data, and track price changes all from AI Mode, and there will be sponsored listings (i.e., ads) in results. Google is also adding the shopping features to the Gemini app for US users. AI tools will also be deployed for the shopping tasks that can be painfully human. Google is adding a so-called agentic AI feature called "Let Google Call" that users can direct to call local stores to ask about products, what's in stock, and whether there are sales or promotions. When the AI agent calls, it discloses to the store that it's an AI caller; merchants will be able to opt out if they don't want robots asking about sales. After the call, the human user will get a text or email with the information gathered. The agentic calling option will begin rolling out in certain categories, starting with toys, health and beauty, and electronics. Finally, users will be able to task AI agents with actually purchasing items. Shoppers will be able to select items and specifications like color or size, and name the price they want to spend -- if the item dips below that, Google's agentic checkout will ping the shopper, confirm they want to buy it, then use Google Pay to complete the transaction. The feature will begin rolling out with merchants including Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and some Shopify sellers. Google frames the features as a way to automate the tedious parts of shopping while still giving shoppers control, especially around things like price. But a shift to AI-powered shopping could upend all of the existing ways consumers currently find things: browsing in-store, through buying guilds and reviews, and of course from influencers. One of the example queries Google demonstrated during a press briefing was an AI Mode shopping search for moisturizers for dry winter skin. The tool quickly pulled a handful of recommendations, along with comparisons of products. It struck me as fascinating -- just a week prior, I had made essentially the same search, only on TikTok, which is widely used as a product recommendations and reviews platform. Ordinarily I might find an item to buy through a beauty influencer or a site like The Strategist; in Google's new shopping ecosystem, I could choose what to buy, track the price, and buy it, all from Google, consolidating the entire experience. AI-generated shopping responses sometimes also pull in content from platforms like TikTok or Reddit, meaning all of those human recommendations and reviews eventually funnel up to Google's automated system, too. Would shoppers completely abandon influencer recommendations for an AI chatbot? Probably not. But it's hard not to see all of these AI-powered tools as effectively a built-in personal shopper -- and creators ranging from Instagram influencers to product review sites will likely feel the competition.

Google adds agentic AI checkout to shopping

Google has announced a trio of new AI-powered shopping features. The tech company is rolling out more conversational search capabilities for shopping in AI Mode, so that buyers can make more specific and descriptive queries to find exactly what they're looking for. The AI Mode results will also be formatted to match the type of search, delivering shoppable images for prompts with a more visual angle or side-by-side comparisons of different traits for shoppers considering several options of what to buy. There are also two new agentic shopping features. First is an agentic checkout for finding and buying an item at a particular price. Shoppers can use Google's price-tracking feature to set the sale price they want to pay for a particular product, and can opt to allow Google's AI to purchase the item when it hits the desired discount. Users will have to confirm the purchase and shipping info before the agentic checkout purchase is completed via Google Pay. For now, agentic checkout is limited to US shoppers at select online retailers including Wayfair, Chewy, Quince and certain Shopify stores; Google said it plans to support more sellers in the future. (Presumably Amazon will not be one of them.) Finally, once you know what you want to purchase, Gemini can call local businesses to ask about product availability. The agentic AI can gather information about prices, stock and current promotions, ask relevant follow-up questions, then will email the results to the user. The first wave of categories that will support AI phone calling are toys, health and beauty, and electronics, and it will be available to US Search users. Google has been rapidly expanding its shopping tools to include AI integrations, with new resources such as virtual clothing try-ons and shoe shopping.

Holiday shopping gets easier: Google Search can now call stores and even buy items for you

Google Search can also call stores on behalf of users to check product availability, and can even fast-track purchases when prices drop. Google is exploring all the ways it can integrate AI into its products. From using AI to give you virtual tryouts, to organizing your notifications, and even creating TV ads featuring you, the company is pulling no punches in finding the best ways to utilize AI to make your life easier. Google is now integrating AI into more of its shopping experiences, allowing AI to do all the heavy work for your holiday shopping, including calling shops for you and buying items on your behalf.

Google can now call stores in your stead to get real-time stock insight

Soon after taking the guesswork out of gift-giving with its annual 'Holiday 100' list based on the year's top Google Search trends, the tech giant is now introducing a major AI shopping update across Google. Meant to transform Google Search and the Gemini app into sophisticated shopping assistants, the tech giant wants you to use agentic AI to find products in stock nearby, get the right item at the right price, shop conversationally, and a lot more. Described as the "biggest upgrade to shopping in AI Mode," users can now describe exactly what they're looking for to get relevant results. Accessible seamlessly via Google Search, AI Mode can be your one-stop-shop for product/gift searching needs. When you ask the mode a shopping question, it can now give you intelligently organized responses, complete with visuals and key details like price, reviews, inventory information, and more. Depending on your query, responses might or might no take a visual approach. If you're looking for visual inspiration, like 'cozy sweaters for happy hour in warm autumn colors,' you'll see shoppable images. Or, if you're deciding between a few options -- like moisturizers suited to your skin type -- you'll see a comparison table with a side-by-side view of considerations specific to that product, including insights from reviews (like how a moisturizer feels on skin) to help you quickly understand the differences. Shop via the Gemini app Shopping features are coming directly to the Gemini app. This means that all the steps, from the initial brainstorming to product research, and the eventual redirection to purchase can now all be completed within Gemini. The app not only offers reliable product information sourced from Google's Shopping Graph, it also offers "shoppable product listings, comparison tables, prices from across the web and places to buy right in the Gemini app." Gemini's shopping integration is rolling out to all Gemini users in the US starting today. Use AI to ensure there's stock nearby Going to a retail store only to find what you were looking for is out of stock can be a frustrating experience. Several third-party monitoring tools already let you track stock, but they're not very widely known. Google wants to fix the gap with AI, and it's not doing so with a new stock-tracking platform. Instead, it wants to help you with new agentic features built right into Search. Google Search is now rolling out a "Let Google Call" feauture, which, as its name suggests, calls businesses to probe whether they have what you're looking for. The new tool appears when you search for specific product 'near you.' Once you tap it, Google will prompt you with a few questions tailored to what you're looking for. For example, if you're looking for guitars nearby, Google might ask you if you're looking for a guitar by itself or a starter pack with other accessories. The tool then probes businesses for the guitar that you need and gives you a summary of the collected information. These upgrades, across Gemini, Google Search, and AI Mode, are rolling out now!

Google rolling out agentic 'Buy for me' and AI calling, shopping with Gemini, more

Google is getting ready for holiday shopping with a handful of new features led by agentic AI checkout and calling. Google is updating AI Mode's shopping capabilities and will let you conversationally "describe what you're looking for." For example, "I need a light sweater for my trip to Atlanta, has to be timeless and wearable with jeans and dresses" will take into the weather without you having to specify and factor the style requirements. Other example prompts are below, while you can ask follow-up questions to refine: Results will be "intelligently organized" with shoppable images that have details like price, reviews, and inventory. AI Mode can also generate comparison tables. Meanwhile, shopping features are now available in the Gemini app. In the US, you'll get "shoppable product listings, comparison tables, prices from across the web, and places to buy" instead of just text suggestions. Google Search can call stores on your behalf to find nearby inventory, as well as confirm pricing before you go. When searching for "near me" products (starting with electronics, toys, health, and beauty), there will be a "Let Google Call" button. You can specify what you're looking for, price range, brands, and other details. AI will then call to "see if stores nearby have what you're looking for, how much it costs, and if there are any special promos." Results with their responses will then be summarized and sent via email or text. Agentic calling is rolling out starting today in the US. This is powered by Duplex, while Gemini models works to "identify the best stores to call, suggest helpful questions to ask based on the product you want and summarize the conversations into key takeaways." After previewing at I/O 2025, Google's final AI feature today is agentic checkout. This starts by using the existing Track price feature to set up a notification and range. Once those conditions are met, you'll get a Google notification with the "Buy for me" button. This will "make a purchase for you from the merchant's website." On the confirmation page, you set the payment method, address, and shipping preferences. Afterwards, an "AI agent buys this item for you by going to the merchant's website, confirming price, and securely purchasing it."

I tried every new Google AI shopping feature, and I feel a lot better about holiday shopping this year

Google has big plans for your holiday shopping, specifically a new set of AI tools designed to make it less stressful. The tech giant has filled its platform with AI-fueled ways to find and buy products. So, I decided to give them a test by looking for a gift for my wife. Fancy haircare products always come off well. I had one in mind, the Oribe Gold Lust serum. It's a haircare gift set that radiates opulence, but I was willing to be persuaded by other ideas. I figured if the new tools could shepherd me through buying a luxury haircare set without the usual annoyances, it might actually be worth trusting AI with other holiday gifts. Traditionally, shopping in Google Search feels like trying to climb a wall while being bombarded by sponsored products. You can get the product you were looking for, but I've rarely used it for more than price checks. But Google promised that shopping in AI Mode would be a more conversational and coherent experience. I opened AI Mode and asked for a fancy haircare gift set for my wife. Immediately, I had four luxury options, including the Oribe Gold Lust set right at the center. I was impressed that it showed so much information at once, including current prices from multiple retailers updated in real time via the Shopping Graph, along with reviews and differences between the available Oribe bundles. It was certainly a lot faster than scrolling a long list of haricare products, though it's worth taking any curation, human or AI, with a grain of salt. There's a whole other layer to AI Mode's shopping guide. When you select a product, you'll see underneath a button to 'Track Prices.' As it suggests, you can set price boundaries, and the AI will keep watch over the product. When it hits your threshold at an eligible merchant, Google sends you a note. Then, if that merchant supports the option, an AI agent will make the purchase for you. I specified my target price, for experimental purposes, I set it to where it already was, and gave Google my permission to see about buying the item. If I were to do all my holiday shopping this way, I'd want to have as few steps as possible. It took several hours, but I received a note about the hair oil from Google and was asked if I wanted to purchase it. As a test, I said yes, and Google opened a checkout page with all my details filled in. I didn't want to actually make the purchase at that moment, but if I had confirmed the item, shipping address, and payment method, it would be on its way to me now. Not all of Google's new AI shopping features are in AI Mode. If you use regular search for certain kinds of products, you'll see an interesting option to 'Let Google Call.' Tap on that button, and you won't have to wait for an online order or face the frustration of a store not having what you're looking for. Google's AI will call around to stores near you and check. I had to answer a few questions about which Oribe product I wanted and indicate my location. Then it was just a matter of confirming my email address, and off the request went. If Google using AI to call stores sounds familiar, that's because the tool uses an updated version of the same Duplex technology that Google has used (to mixed reviews) for years. About half an hour later, I had an email waiting with a list of nearby beauty and health stores and a summary of what they had said about the products' availability. The information was more reliable than anything I could have scraped together through online listings alone. And, importantly, there was no extra effort on my end. I now had a clear roadmap for where to buy locally if I wanted instant gratification. The entire test left me with a sense of relief. Real holiday shopping, where you're juggling preferences, budgets, authenticity concerns, and stock limitations, has always been a kind of seasonal part-time job. This experiment showed me a relatively pain-free alternative. AI Mode helped find the gift, and agentic checkout could remove the chaos of trying to catch a sale at the exact right moment. Or i could ask Duplex to call around and find a local source. In other words, Google's AI was taking up the most annoying or tedious aspects of buying things, while still leaving room for me to make a decision on what to get and how. If AI tools can actually adapt to how people want to shop and assist without making it feel like they're taking over the process, I feel a little optimistic about the future of shopping.

Google's AI can now automatically call stores and buy items for you

Google has announced several AI-powered updates to its shopping features, helping to make your mindless consumerism even more mindless. First, Google has updated Search's AI Mode so that users can describe what they're shopping for in a conversational manner. For example, Google states that a person could search for "cozy sweaters for happy hour in warm autumn colors," and be served with shoppable images, prices, reviews, and information on whether the suggested items are in stock. Further, weighing up multiple product options will generate a comparison table that references other peoples' reviews. Such changes also extend to Gemini app, with Google's AI chatbot now capable of providing ideas for what to add to your shopping list. Users can tell Gemini that they're looking for products to fit a certain purpose, such as practical gifts for students or ideas for what to buy during Black Friday sales. Gemini will then create a list of suggested products, which can be purchased directly in-app. Another interesting shopping update is Google's new ability to call stores and make inquiries on your behalf, a feature which may be helpful to people with disabilities, social anxiety, or who just hate phone calls. Users will see the option to "let Google call" nearby stores when they use Search to look for certain products "near me." Google will then ask a few questions about what you're after, call the store, then send the answers to you via email or text. Currently, Google's automated calls are restricted to booking appointments, checking restaurant wait times, and confirming the pricing and availability of products and services. Google's automated calls are also rolling out in the U.S. for toy, electronic, and health and beauty categories, however not all states will be receiving it. Google states that its automated shopping calls will not be rolling out in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, and Nebraska. Businesses can also opt out if they'd rather not receive these automated calls, either by calling Google themselves or changing the settings on their Business Profile. Finally, Google has begun rolling out the agentic AI checkout feature it teased at Google I/O 2025 in May. With this feature, users can have Google's AI shopping agent monitor a product's availability and send them a notification when its price drops below a set target. Users can tailor these notifications to specifically track product variations according to size, colour, and the number of items they wish to buy. Significantly, Google can also autonomously purchase the item for you using Google Pay. Google states that it will ask your permission before buying anything, and will only proceed once you've confirmed purchase and shipping details. Even so, it seems wise to think long and hard before granting AI the power to spend your money. This feature is rolling out across Google Search and AI Mode, though will be available in the U.S. for now, and only for some vendors such as Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify stores. Google's latest AI-powered shopping features join its virtual fitting room, which has been available to U.S. users via the Search Labs testing platform since May. This feature allows users to upload a photo of themselves to Google, then use AI to generate an image of themselves in clothes they're considering buying. These features use Google's Shopping Graph, a data set of products and vendors from around the globe. Google states that its real-time Shopping Graph contains over 50 billion product listings, many of which are updated hourly. Google's updates arrive amidst a dispute between Amazon and Perplexity over similar AI shopping technology. The online retail giant sued Perplexity last week, objecting to the AI firm's own automated AI-powered shopping assistant enabling one-click purchasing from Amazon. According to Amazon, Perplexity has ignored repeated requests not to include it in this tool. Fortunately for Google, its AI shopping assistant seems unlikely to face similar turmoil for now, as its gradual rollout to select stores currently excludes Amazon.

Google's Gemini is bringing automation to holiday shopping

Why it matters: It's the tech giant's biggest step yet toward "agentic commerce," one of the hottest frontiers in the effort to commercialize AI for general audiences. Driving the news: Google unveiled new shopping features Thursday. They use Gemini-powered "agentic AI" to handle everything from product comparisons to automated checkout -- just in time for the holiday rush. How it works: In AI Mode on Search, users can describe what they want -- like "cozy sweaters in warm autumn colors" -- and get shoppable images, side-by-side comparisons and live inventory pulled from Google's Shopping Graph of 50 billion listings. * In the Gemini app, shoppers can brainstorm, browse and buy -- with AI-generated lists, prices and links to retailers. * With "Let Google Call," the company's Duplex tech can phone nearby stores to check prices and stock, then text or email results back. * A new agentic checkout feature can buy items automatically (with user approval) once they hit a target price -- starting with retailers like Wayfair, Chewy, Quince and select Shopify merchants, Google says. The bottom line: Google is fusing Gemini with years of shopping data to create what amounts to a hands-on AI assistant -- one that aims to simplify, and maybe even automate, how people shop.

Google's latest AI tools will help you shop faster and smarter this holiday season

From discovery to checkout, Google just made shopping in Search easier with AI. What's happened? Google has announced a new suite of AI-powered shopping features designed to make product discovery and purchasing more seamless across Search and the Gemini app. In a blog post, the company detailed that Search's AI Mode now supports a conversational shopping experience that delivers more intelligent responses with price details, reviews, comparison tables, and inventory info when users ask a shopping-related question. The Gemini app has also been upgraded with shopping features, and it now offers shoppable product listings, comparison tables, prices from across the web, and places to buy. To save users the trouble of calling stores for availability information, Google has introduced a "Let Google Call" option in Search that contacts stores on the user's behalf. Lastly, the company has rolled out an agentic checkout feature that lets users complete purchases directly in Search using Google Pay. Why is this important? These new AI-powered features will make it easier for users to find and purchase products in Search and the Gemini app without endless scrolling or filtering. They also blur the line between browsing and buying, streamlining the entire journey from discovery to checkout. Agentic tools like "Let Google Call" and the new checkout experience will save users time and effort while shopping online. Recommended Videos Why should I care? With the holiday season right around the corner, these new AI shopping features could save you time finding the right product and even help snag some great Black Friday deals. The ability to discover the right products, check availability, and complete purchases without leaving Search means you'll spend less time jumping between apps or websites. And if you prefer shopping offline, the "Let Google Call" feature will help you quickly find where a product is available in a store near you. What's next? Google says users in the US can use shopping features in the Gemini app starting today. The "Let Google Call" feature is also rolling out to US shoppers, though it's currently limited to select product categories such as toys, health and beauty, and electronics. Agentic checkout is also live in the US, with early support from eligible merchants like Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify stores. Meanwhile, the conversation shopping experience in Search's AI Mode is live for all users.

Google's AI Shopping Push Is Better for Business Than It Is for You

Today, Google announced three new AI shopping features, all centered around keeping you engaged with its AI throughout the entire shopping process. On the one hand, these features have the potential to make shopping more convenient -- on the other hand, maybe lowering friction isn't the best idea when it comes to spending money. Beyond selling you on convenience, these features all share something else in common -- helping businesses up their clickthrough rates. It starts with AI Mode and Gemini, which can now access all the same information as Google Search's shopping tab. That means you'll start to see product cards alongside your AI answers, which you can click on for a bunch of shopping links, or hit a checkmark to compare the selected products. They won't show up on every question, but on about half of the prompts I tried, I got the option to spend money right away. Then, if you're still not sure you want to buy yet, now you can have Google's AI robocall local businesses for you to check on product availability and pricing, as well as any deals or bundles you might not know about. There are a few caveats -- businesses can opt out, and Google will avoid calling them at odd hours or too frequently -- but the idea is that if you're on the fence, you can have an AI help you know which stores to go to. Finally, when it comes time to actually purchase whatever you're shopping for, you can have Google's AI check out for you. This feature is an extension of the existing price tracking feature, and will add a "Buy for me" button to any price tracking notifications you get from certain participating stores, like Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, or certain Shopify merchants. You'll get a link to the product you'd be buying from your notification, and the price will be pulled from that, so the company says you won't have to worry about the AI getting the price wrong. Instead, it's just supposed to remove any hesitation you might feel from having to enter your shipping or payment details into a checkout form. I won't deny that, when holiday shopping, I usually won't turn down assistance. But a continued refrain I had while hearing about these new features was "Why?" Personally, I'm mortified at the idea of sending employees at local businesses robocalls to deal with. And if I'm researching products, while it might be helpful to be able to involve an AI so I could ask specific question, I think I'd still prefer full access to all the filters and hundreds of links available in Google Shopping. The big thing for me, though, is agentic checkout. While I'm actually willing to trust Google that it won't make mistakes (and you do get a reference ID to hand to support in case it does), I'm also not sure why I'd want to go right from getting a price drop notification to having an AI spend money for me. It doesn't take long to fill out a checkout form, and while Google Shopping is a useful price tracking tool, it's not the only one around. I'd probably want to comparison shop a bit more before committing, at which point I might as well fill out the checkout form myself. But if you think about these features from the perspective of a business, the "why" behind all of this suddenly becomes a lot clearer. Turning people browsing web listings into actual paying customers has been a problem for about as long as the internet has existed, and all of these features introduce new opportunities for impulse purchases at every step of the buying process, while also erasing the opportunity for users to get caught up on a larger selection of options. It's not a conspiracy. Google charges companies for sponsored slots and ads, and the more people that buy products using a Google service, the more companies will want to pay for those. And for what it's worth, Lifehacker makes money on affiliate links. I won't deny that companies needs money, and that people need to buy gifts. What this does do, however, is reduce the friction that might pop up in between having an idle thought to buy something, and opening your wallet. While it plays at being a research buddy, it takes control out of your hands, obfuscates sources and other options, and instead encourages you to spend your money as quickly as possible, while discouraging skepticism. As someone who writes reviews and best-of lists, I like to think that my readers are a bit more savvy than that. Convenience is great, but taking the extra few minutes it takes to find an actual human opinion from someone who's used the product, or to double check that the price Google is serving you is really your best option, could save you from hours of pain down the line. Like most AI tools, there's potential here. But as much as AI will try to convince you that it's just some neutral buddy, remember that there are business motivations behind everything the companies behind these chatbots do. Keeping your whole shopping search in the same ecosystem as a company that's main profit still comes from ads and e-commerce probably isn't the best way to get your information.

Google's AI Mode Can Now Work Like a Virtual Sales Associate

Getting the AI to actually show product links can be tricky at times. Google really wants you to use its AI to help you do your holiday shopping, and to that end, it's finally letting AI Mode and Gemini directly link you to products. The new feature is powered by Google's "Shopping Graph," a list of 50 billion products that also informs Google's Shopping tab, and it's available to everyone on both desktop and mobile starting today. Here's how it works: In Google search's AI Mode or the Gemini app/website, you can ask a question or send a prompt about a physical product, like "Help me find an espresso maker that has a steam wand, is affordable, and is good for beginners." If the AI can find relevant product information in the Shopping Graph, it'll then give you a short writeup and pop up a few product suggestions along with shopping information, like pricing and user reviews. Clicking on any of these tiles will then open a sidebar with sites where you can purchase the item. Essentially, it's like using Google's Shopping tab, but with a virtual shopping assistant (or, let's be real, a salesperson) you can turn to for more context about what you're seeing. Some queries will even let you click a checkbox on their product tiles so you can mark off to ask follow-up questions. For instance, you could check off two product tiles and ask the AI to compare them, or ask which is cheaper or has better reviews. According to Google representatives at a press event, the company is hoping this will make it easier for shoppers to buy gifts for friends or relatives that are traditionally hard to shop for, and that it will make shopping easier by letting people search using natural language. When I tested out this new tool, it generally worked out, but I did encounter a few hiccups. The biggest was that it was hard to get the AI to recognize certain products as topics it could surface tiles for. For instance, asking for "Popular Nintendo Switch games under $60" just gave me a list of games, but no links to purchase them. I assume this is because the AI thought I was simply asking for general advice about what to play instead of shopping, but no amount of rewording would prompt the tool to show me product tiles, even when I explicitly asked for them. I also ran into problems when it came to natural language searches. At the aforementioned press event, Google gave journalists example questions to ask the AI in order to try the new feature, but I found only the questions that called out specific types of products would give me tiles to click on. For instance, a question like "Give me Christmas gift ideas for my sister who loves knitting and reading" wouldn't trigger the new feature, but "show me ottomans that can be used as coffee tables" would. Even the example Google used in its blog announcing the feature wouldn't work for me -- asking for Christmas gift ideas for a college student who likes to run gave me generic answers like "running shoes" and "moisture-wicking socks," but didn't show any specific examples that I could buy. That shouldn't stop you from getting gift ideas from the AI, but it does mean that when you're ready to buy, you'll want to ask a fresh question that asks for a specific type of product, rather than ideas for a specific person. It's a bit of an extra step for something that's supposed to take the guesswork out of the buying process. With those caveats in place, I still see most users still sticking to the regular shopping tab, where they can be sure they'll get product links every time. But Google's hoping that integrating shopping into AI Mode will eventually give users the best of both worlds, allowing them to make more specific searches than they could without AI, and also allowing the AI to call on training data the shopping tab doesn't have access to, like Reddit posts and website reviews. Now I just need to find a way to convince my family that all my thoughtful gift ideas didn't just come from a robot.

Google Introduces Major AI Shopping Upgrades Across Search, Gemini App

Let Google Call feature checks local stock and pricing via Duplex Google is launching a wide set of AI-powered shopping features in the US, with a wider rollout expected soon. The new features are claimed to make product discovery, comparison and checkout faster ahead of the holiday season. The updates span Google Search, AI Mode, and the Gemini app, introducing new agentic tools that can call nearby stores, surface real-time inventory data, and even complete purchases on a shopper's behalf, using verified price and product information from Google's Shopping Graph. Google Introduces AI Shopping Assistant in Search and Gemini The Mountain View-based tech giant is expanding conversational shopping in Search's AI Mode, according to its latest blog post. Users can now describe products in natural language and receive structured results that may include shoppable images, comparison tables, reviews, pricing details and inventory data. Responses are said to adjust based on the query. For instance, broad inspiration prompts surface images, while product-specific prompts show side-by-side comparisons. The company explains that the feature is powered by Google's Shopping Graph, which holds over 50 billion listings and updates 2 billion of them every hour. Shopping features are also coming to the Gemini app. Users in the US can now ask shopping-related questions and receive product ideas, listings, comparison charts and pricing from across the web without leaving the chat interface. Sponsored results will appear in AI Mode in Search, but not yet in Gemini, the company added. A new agentic feature called Let Google Call can contact local stores to check stock availability, pricing and promotions. The tool appears when users search for certain items "near me". After a short set of prompts, Google's AI calls nearby retailers using an upgraded version of Duplex. According to Google, the AI discloses that it is an automated caller, and merchants can opt out. Users are then said to receive a summary of the conversations along with additional local inventory data. Google is also beginning to roll out agentic checkout, which automates the buying process for tracked items. Shoppers can specify product details and a target price. When the item drops within budget, Google alerts the user, confirms the purchase and shipping details, and, with permission, completes the transaction using Google Pay. The feature is launching with merchants including Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify sellers, the company stated. The company claims that the updates streamline the most tedious parts of online shopping while keeping users informed with real-time data. All features are currently rolling out in the US, with wider availability expected over time.

Google Upgrades Shopping AI to Call Stores and Place Orders Automatically | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. In announcing the update, Google said it wants shopping queries to feel more conversational. The company noted that users can describe what they want "just as you'd say it to a friend," and the system will pull from what Google describes as a constantly refreshed Shopping Graph containing "more than 50 billion product listings, 2 billion of which are updated every hour." The blog explained that when users define their budget and product specifications, "down to the specific size, color and amount you want to spend", they'll get a notification when the price falls within budget. Google also said that if a merchant supports it, users may opt into having the system place the order on their behalf, though the company stresses that the assistant will request confirmation first and will only buy after the user approves shipping and payment details. A new feature is the ability for Google's AI agent to call nearby stores. Google said that when users perform a "near me" search, they may see a "Let Google Call" option, which triggers a call to the retailer to ask about pricing, availability, or promotions, and then delivers a transcript of what the agent asked, and the store responded. Each call requires user authorization, which Google described explicitly. Google also shifted product research into a conversational thread rather than discrete search sessions. A user can ask for "gift ideas under fifty dollars for a science-loving child," then refine to "now in blue packaging," without starting over. For checkout automation, Google lets users set rules such as maximum spend, preferred delivery or product specs. Once those are active, the agent monitors inventory changes and price movements, then executes the purchase after user confirmation. Google said the system logs each step so users can review what actions the assistant took. The rollout arrives as OpenAI's "Instant Checkout" feature expands inside ChatGPT. That service permits users to purchase items from sellers like Etsy and Shopify directly within ChatGPT, powered by an open-standard Agentic Commerce Protocol developed with Stripe. Google's model diverges in two ways. First, it relies on its Shopping Graph and routes transactions to merchant sites rather than embedding checkout entirely inside a single chat interface. Second, it moves beyond conversational ordering toward rule-based automation and operational tasks like store calls. Meanwhile, as reported by PYMNTS, Walmart customers will soon complete purchases in ChatGPT through the retailer's integration of Instant Checkout and the agentic commerce model. These differences highlight how platforms are choosing distinct entry points into agentic shopping. The answer-engine approach from Perplexity Shopping remains focused on sourcing and precision rather than automation. Its "Buy With Pro" feature lets U.S. Pro-subscribers research and purchase items directly from its interface, but it does not call stores or execute rule-based purchases in the same way. Google's new updates combine research, verification, plus autonomous execution in one flow. According to Bain, customers are increasingly using AI as a starting point, as 17% of unique online shoppers said they will begin their holiday shopping with an AI platform such as ChatGPT or Perplexity, and 30% plan to start with Google search.

Google makes holiday shopping easier than ever

Let's face it, holiday shopping has always felt like more of a part-time job. More often than not, you find yourself juggling tabs, comparing prices, and checking through stock, while trying to guess which store has the stuff you need. Among other things, Google seems to know this, and it just rolled out a quiet update aimed at that exact pain point. It's a subtle shift in how Search works, effectively making the hunt for gifts, deals, and last-minute essentials a lot less painful. The powerful new AI-powered update will most likely chip away at the friction that slows everyone down around the holiday season. Google makes huge AI shopping update to fix parts of shopping people hate Before we even get to the checkout button, perhaps the lion's share of the pain from shopping usually comes from the steps in between. That includes everything from searching, comparing, and filtering, to the guessing game that typically follows. Google's latest update tries to efficiently erase that chaos, as it smooths out what happens before you make a purchase. Now, just as the holiday rush kicks in, Google has rolled out a major AI shopping update across Search's AI Mode and the Gemini app in the U.S. New Google shopping features explained Following the Google AI update, users can enjoy these new features: * Conversational shopping in AI Mode Instead of typing out "mens sweater grey XL under $70" and working through a ton of filters, you can simply describe what you want out loud:"Cozy men's sweater I could wear on weekdays, under 70 bucks." Search then follows up with ideas, allowing you to tweak with simplistic questions, while pulling from nearly 50 billion product listings in Google's Shopping Graph. * Agentic checkout with a "buy for me" button Select merchants can now tell Google the exact product, the size, and the color, along with its maximum price. Google tracks it, providing you with alerts once prices drop, and if it's pre-approved, it completes the purchase via Google Pay on the merchant's site. Early partners include Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify stores. * "Let Google Call" for local store checks Once you search for something such as "Xbox near me," a new "Let Google Call" button appears. Tap it, and Google's robust new Duplex and Gemini combo will call nearby stores, inquiring about stock, prices, and promos, then subsequently send you a summary via text or email. Stores can opt out of this feature, but if they decide against it, Google will step in as the middleman between you and the retailer. Why the AI shopping update matters for Google's money machine If Google is able to pull off the new AI-enabled features at scale, it could represent its most meaningful pivot in years. AI Mode and agentic checkout give Google something on which advertisers have been willing to deliver, but weren't able to: richer intent and full-funnel visibility. Queries posed to Google following the new update will tell the system exactly who you are, what you need, and what might actually convert to a sale. Then the system will recommend the product and process, and suddenly Google will literally have the receipts to prove an advertisement worked. Google would then be able to justify the higher CPCs within those AI answers, while fine-tuning its 50-billion-product Shopping Graph, along with cleaner feedback. The move also explains the competitive timing. For perspective, OpenAI has also launched its agentic shopping flow within ChatGPT, and Amazon remains dominant in terms of product searches, even with its potent AI helpers living inside a walled garden. Retailers need to pay close attention, though, as partners like Wayfair and Chewy would get much smoother checkouts. However, with Google controlling the end-to-end process, brands would potentially become interchangeable pipes behind a powerful shopping assistant. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. This story was originally published November 17, 2025 at 12:13 PM.

Google introduces AI-powered holiday shopping with price tracking, agentic checkout, and comparison tables

Google has introduced new AI and agentic shopping updates across Search and the Gemini app, aimed at streamlining holiday shopping. These updates allow users to find products, compare options, track prices, and purchase items more efficiently. AI Mode in Search enables users to describe what they are looking for naturally, without manually selecting filters or keywords. The AI generates structured responses that include: The Gemini app now integrates shopping features within chat. Users can: These features rely on the Shopping Graph to provide accurate product data. Users searching for products "near me" can select "Let Google Call". The AI contacts nearby stores to confirm stock, pricing, and promotions, then provides a summary via email or text. Users can track specific items by size, color, quantity, and budget. Notifications are sent when prices meet the criteria. Google can complete purchases on eligible merchant sites using Google Pay, after user approval. Speaking on the latest shopping updates, Vidhya Srinivasan, VP/GM Ads and Commerce, Google, said:

Google Drops Smarter AI Shopping Upgrades Ahead of Holiday Rush

As the year's biggest shopping kicks in, Google has rolled out a wide range of AI-driven upgrades aimed at making online shopping faster, more intuitive, and less tedious. From conversational search to agentic checkout and even automated phone calls to local stores, the tech giant is betting big on AI to smooth friction for both consumers and retailers. The tech giant is unveiling conversational shopping through Google AI Mode, a chatbot-like interface within Search that enables users to ask questions in natural language. Whether someone is searching for 'cozy sweaters in autumn colours' or comparing skin-care serums, the tool presents personalized results, complete with pictures, prices, reviews, and real-time availability from massive Shopping Graph, which tracks over 50 billion listings. Instead of static links, comparisons might appear as tables, and visually driven queries prompt image-heavy inspiration boards. Sponsored listings will also appear in AI mode, but Google clarified that ads are not yet surfacing in the Gemini app.