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 within 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 accessing Meta AI via a web browser. When asked about product ideas, the chatbot responds with a carousel of articles.
For each result, product images are retrieved along with details such as the brand, price, and website where the item is sold. Users can then follow links to the merchant’s website for more information.
The move puts Meta in direct competition with rivals like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, which are also looking for ways to combine artificial intelligence with online shopping.
Meta AI wants to become your personal shopping guide
Meta’s approach focuses heavily on personalization, leveraging pre-existing information about a user, such as location data and inferred gender, to tailor its suggestions.
In Bloomberg’s tests, asking the chatbot about down jackets produced results tailored to the user’s New York location and revealed options for women.
Meta’s foray into shopping AI comes as other AI chatbots move in the same direction. OpenAI’s ChatGPT already offers a shopping research tool to help users search for 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 within ChatGPT via PayPal.
Google is developing its own checkout system for Gemini. The Universal Checkout Platform allows users to log into merchant sites or complete purchases with Google Pay directly through 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 to allow users to shop and pay without leaving the chat window.
Meta has not confirmed whether it receives commissions when users click on merchant links. The company also declined to say whether products will receive priority placement from advertisers on Facebook or Instagram.
Still, Meta’s long-term vision is clear. Mark Zuckerberg recently said that the company aims to build personal superintelligence that can deliver uniquely tailored experiences. Shopping recommendations could be one of the first places where this vision takes shape.
