Meta AI enters shopping wars with new assistant to challenge ChatGPT and Gemini

Meta Enters the AI Shopping Wars to Challenge ChatGPT and Gemini

Alex Valdes from Bellevue, Washington has been pumping content into the Internet river for quite a while, including stints at MSNBC.com, MSN, Bing, MoneyTalksNews, Tipico and more. He admits to being somewhat fascinated by the Cambridge coffee webcam back in the Roaring '90s. It was only a matter of time before Mark Zuckerberg's Meta jumped into the AI shopping race. According to a Bloomberg report, Meta is testing a new AI shopping assistant feature to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini in one of the fastest-growing areas of e-commerce. A representative for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meta joins an AI shopping assistant market that is expected to boom. Research and consulting firm Grand View Research projects the market to grow from $3.36 billion in 2024 to $28.54 billion by 2033 -- an annual rate of nearly 27%. North America currently controls 40% of the worldwide market. Other AI shopping assistants aside from ChatGPT, Gemini and now Meta are also available. They include Amazon's Rufus (ZDNet loves it), Amazon's Interests, Klarna (by OpenAI), Shopify and even eBay. Initially, only some US-based Meta AI users will see the new feature within the chatbot, according to Bloomberg. Say you ask the chatbot about the most popular cat toys. The AI will return a horizontal carousel of products, along with price, brand information, and websites where you can buy them. The AI tool will also offer a short explanation of why it is recommending each product. You won't be able to directly purchase from the Meta AI site, however. You will need to visit the merchant's external link. OpenAI's ChatGPT already has an AI shopping research feature. I tried it and asked, "Please show me the best cat toys to buy." The AI responded with a curated list of highly rated cat toys. It offered a horizontal, scrollable carousel of products; each product displayed its price at different stores. As with Meta, you have to click on the store's website link for each product to buy it. With Google's Gemini AI shopping assistant, I asked the same question: "Please show me the best cat toys to buy." Gemini responded with products, images, prices, descriptions and links to stores -- basically the same setup as Meta and ChatGPT. Meta's entrance into the AI shopping market reflects a broader shift in how consumers engage with products online, as AI reshapes e-commerce experiences and businesses seek deeper integration between social, search and purchase journeys. Traditionally, online shopping began with keyword searches on e-commerce sites or search engines, but AI now enables more natural language, personalized discovery and tailored suggestions based on context, intent and user data. Brad Jashinsky, director analyst at research firm Gartner, said customer trust is an issue with AI shopping assistants. "Our recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of consumers think GenAI-powered shopping tools, whether provided by retailers or by GenAI platforms, will make biased shopping recommendations," Jashinsky told CNET. "Customer behavior takes a long time to change. It wasn't until 2023 that more e-commerce shopping was done on mobile devices versus desktop devices in the US. That was 16 years after the iPhone debuted." Jashinsky said companies have been slow to adopt agentic AI and GenAI for online shopping experiences. "More than half of customer experience leaders fear that AI delivering inaccurate responses or content threatens the customer experience," he said.

Meta Tests AI Shopping Research Tool to Rival ChatGPT, Gemini

Meta Platforms Inc. is testing a shopping research feature in its artificial intelligence chatbot, rivaling a similar tool offered by OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. The feature, which allows requests for product suggestions, is being rolled out to some US-based users of the Meta AI web browser. The chatbot responds with a carousel of product images that include captions with information about the brand, website, and price. It also offers a brief explanation of its recommendations in bullet-point form. A Meta spokesperson confirmed that the shopping tool is being tested, but declined to share further details. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has made it a goal for Meta to build "personal superintelligence" as it competes with other popular chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini, which have also begun incorporating ecommerce features to make money from their tools. During an earnings call in January, Zuckerberg said the company will start shipping new products in the coming months that can show Meta's ability to provide a "uniquely personal experience" based on people's history, interests, content and relationships. When applicable, the chatbot's recommendations are tailored to what Meta already knows about the user's location and to the gender it infers from their name, Bloomberg News found when testing the feature. For example, when asked to find puffer jackets, Meta AI's response referenced the author's location in New York and offered options for women's puffers. There is no checkout or payment option within Meta's chatbot, but users can click on the provided merchant links for further browsing. The spokesperson didn't respond to questions about whether Meta receives referral commissions for its chatbot's recommendations and declined to comment on whether Meta AI prioritizes brands that already advertise their products on its social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. But Zuckerberg's comments in the January call may offer clues: while the company's ads currently help businesses target the specific people interested in their products, the company's "new agentic shopping tools will allow people to find just the right, very specific set of products from the businesses in our catalog," he said at the time.

Meta starts testing its AI shopping assistant

Meta has started rolling out an experimental AI shopping tool to some users in the US, according to Bloomberg. At the moment, it's reportedly only showing up on desktop browsers when select users visit Meta AI on the web. They'll know if they have access to the feature if they see the "Shopping research" button inside the query text box. The company has confirmed that it was testing the feature, Bloomberg said, but it didn't say when a wider release will happen. When users ask for product suggestions, the chatbot will show them a carousel with product images and their pricing, along with a link to the e-commerce website and information about the brand. Meta AI will also include a short explanation why it recommended the item. If Meta AI can see a user's information, such as their gender and location data, it can tailor responses for them. Bloomberg said it replied with a selection of women's puffer jackets from shops that ship to New York, based on the tester's profile. Users cannot check out from within the Meta AI interface, but they can click on the links it provides to shop online. Mark Zuckerberg previously told investors that Meta is launching agentic shopping tools during an earnings call earlier this year. It doesn't come as a surprise that the company is working on them, when rival AI companies already offer the same tools. OpenAI rolled out a dedicated shopping assistant for ChatGPT just before Black Friday last year, shortly after Google launched its own shopping tools for Gemini. Perplexity also released an AI shopping assistant at the same time.

After ChatGPT and Gemini, Meta AI wants to go shopping for you

Meta AI experiments with personalized product recommendations Meta is experimenting with a new feature that could turn its AI chatbot into a shopping assistant. The company is testing a shopping research tool inside Meta AI that suggests products when users ask for recommendations. According to Bloomberg, the feature is currently being tested with some users in the US who access Meta AI through a web browser. When asked for product ideas, the chatbot responds with a carousel of items. Recommended Videos Each result fetches product images along with details such as the brand, price, and the website where the item is sold. Users can then follow links to the merchant's site to explore further. This move places Meta directly against rivals like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, which are also exploring ways to blend artificial intelligence with online shopping. Meta AI wants to become your personal shopping guide Meta's approach focuses heavily on personalization, using information it already has about a user, such as location data and inferred gender, to tailor its suggestions. In Bloomberg's testing, asking the chatbot for puffer jackets produced results tailored to the user's New York location and showed options aimed at women. Meta's push into shopping AI comes as other AI chatbots move in the same direction. OpenAI's ChatGPT already offers a Shopping Research tool that helps users find products. Both ChatGPT and Google's Gemini are also expanding in-chat shopping with retailer integrations like Walmart and Sam's Club. OpenAI is also working on enabling purchases inside ChatGPT through PayPal. Google is developing its own checkout system for Gemini. Its Universal Checkout Platform lets users log into merchant sites or complete purchases with Google Pay directly from the AI interface. Other AI assistants are also taking similar steps. Amazon's Alexa+ now supports conversational shopping through partners like Expedia and Yelp. Meanwhile Microsoft is testing Copilot Checkout so users can shop and pay without leaving the chat window. Meta has not confirmed whether it earns commissions when users click merchant links. The company also declined to say whether products from advertisers on Facebook or Instagram receive priority placement. Still, Meta's long-term vision is clear. Mark Zuckerberg recently said the company aims to build personal superintelligence that can deliver uniquely tailored experiences. Shopping recommendations may be one of the first places where that vision takes shape.

Meta begins testing experimental AI shopping assistant in the US

Meta has started testing an experimental AI shopping tool for some users in the United States. The feature allows users to research products directly within the Meta AI chat interface. This move positions Meta against competitors like OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity, which have already launched similar AI shopping assistants. The tool is currently limited to a desktop browser experience. Eligible users see a "Shopping research" button inside the query text box on the Meta AI website. When users ask for product suggestions, the chatbot displays a carousel containing product images, pricing, links to e-commerce sites, and brand information. Meta AI also provides a short explanation for its recommendations. The tool can tailor responses using user information such as gender and location data. According to Bloomberg, the chatbot showed a selection of women's puffer jackets from shops shipping to New York based on a tester's profile. Users cannot check out within the Meta AI interface but can click links to complete purchases online. Meta confirmed the testing to Bloomberg but has not announced a wider release date. Mark Zuckerberg told investors during an earnings call earlier this year that Meta is launching agentic shopping tools. Rival companies have already launched similar AI shopping tools. OpenAI rolled out a dedicated shopping assistant for ChatGPT just before Black Friday last year. Google launched shopping tools for Gemini shortly after, and Perplexity released an AI shopping assistant at the same time.

Meta Tests Shopping Capabilities in AI Assistant to Rival ChatGPT, Gemini

Meta is said to be testing new shopping and research capabilities within its artificial intelligence (AI) assistant. According to a report, the firm has been developing features that would allow users to research products and receive shopping suggestions directly on its AI assistant, dubbed Meta AI. This move is reportedly seen as an extension of Meta's broader attempts 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 US-based users of the Meta AI web interface. Users can reportedly ask for product recommendations, such as clothing, electronics, or accessories, and the chatbot will respond with a carousel of product images. Instead of directing users to external websites or search engines, the AI assistant could provide summaries of product specifications. Each product card reportedly includes a caption detailing the brand, website, and price. The chatbot also provides a short explanation in bullet-point format outlining why those products were recommended, as per the report. Users may be able to ask natural language queries such as comparing smartphones, laptops, or home appliances, and receive detailed breakdowns that include pricing ranges, feature comparisons, and potential pros and cons. The report also suggests that Meta could eventually integrate links to online retailers or shopping platforms, potentially opening up monetisation opportunities through affiliate partnerships. When applicable, the chatbot's recommendations are said to be personalised based on what Meta already knows about the user, including their location and inferred gender. For instance, in one test cited in the report, when asked to find puffer jackets, the assistant referenced the user's location in New York and suggested women's jackets based on the name associated with the account. Citing a Meta spokesperson, the report mentioned that the shopping tool is being tested but declined to provide additional details about broader availability or monetisation plans. The move comes at a time when other competing AI platforms are seeking to integrate commerce-related features. For example, ChatGPT has introduced agentic shopping experiences that enable consumers to explore products and, in some instances, make purchases through instant checkout integrations with partner merchants. Google, on the other hand, has been seeking to expand AI-based shopping-related features in the Search engine and the Gemini app. As competition in the AI space is likely to increase, AI firms are seeking to position their assistants as more than just conversational interfaces.

Meta Explores AI-Powered Shopping Research Tool | PYMNTS.com

According to the report, the feature, which lets shoppers request product suggestions, is being offered to some American users of Meta's AI web browser. Bloomberg, which tested the bot itself, says the tool responds with a collection of product images with information about the brand, price and website. The bot's recommendations are, when applicable, tailored to the information Meta knows about the user's location. While the chatbot doesn't offer a checkout or payment option, users can click on the provided merchant links to continue browsing. The report notes Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's goal of building "super intelligence" as the company competes with Google and OpenAI, both of which have woven eCommerce features into their chatbots. On the company's most recent earnings call, Zuckerberg said Meta would soon begin to release products to demonstrate its ability to offer a "uniquely personal experience" based on users' history, interests and relationships. The report added that a Meta spokesperson declined to say whether the company gets referral commissions for its chatbot's recommendations and would not comment on whether Meta AI prioritizes brands that already advertise on its social media platforms. However, Zuckerberg had said on the earnings call that while Meta's ads now help businesses target the specific customers, the company's "new agentic shopping tools will allow people to find just the right, very specific set of products from the businesses in our catalog." The effort comes as consumers continue to warm to AI, with PYMNTS Intelligence data showing that more than 60% of Americans used the technology for some purpose in the prior year. "More than a third of Gen Z consumers and power users now start their daily tasks on dedicated AI platforms first, including content discovery. And not in addition to Google search, but as a replacement," PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster wrote recently. "As of January 2026, not only have 41% of consumers used dedicated AI platforms for product discovery, but 33% say they have fully replaced their prior methods. They're not layering AI on top of old habits. They're shutting the door and leaving them behind." Meanwhile, PYMNTS spoke last week with Mladen Vladic, head of product, payment networks at FIS, about the shopping partnerships Google and OpenAI had formed with Walmart and Target, respectively. These arrangements, he said, highlight how quickly the agentic commerce model is being legitimized. When retailers like Walmart shift toward this model, their suppliers, partners and service providers need to do likewise, Vladic added.