Perplexity AI Shopping Assistant Promises Hotter, Smarter Online Buying
Perplexity is turning up the heat in the AI shopping race. The company has unveiled a new Perplexity AI Shopping Assistant for users in the US. The feature aims to make product discovery faster, more personal, and far more convenient. And yes, it is free for all users.
A Shopping Search That Feels Personal
With this update, Perplexity now lets users ask highly specific questions. You can ask, “What’s the best winter jacket for windy ferry rides in San Francisco?” and the assistant remembers your lifestyle details, earlier chats, and preferences.
Then, it pulls in products from across the web and shows them in clean product cards. These cards include pros, cons, and review-based insights. The platform wants the search experience to feel tailored, rather than the usual generic list of links.
Instant Buy with PayPal Steps In
The biggest upgrade is the new Instant Buy experience. If you like a product, Perplexity lets you complete the purchase directly through the assistant. It uses your saved PayPal details to avoid checkout hassles.
Interestingly, merchants still get full access to customer info, returns, and loyalty features. Perplexity claims the system works just like buying on a store’s own website—only much faster.
A Clear Push Toward End-to-End AI Shopping
This move mirrors similar shopping-focused updates from ChatGPT and Google’s AI Mode. However, Perplexity has made its intentions obvious. It wants to build an end-to-end shopping journey where AI handles everything from the search to the payment.
The company recently received a cease-and-desist from Amazon for allowing automated purchases through its Comet browser. Yet this new shopping assistant shows Perplexity is not slowing down.
AI Shopping Heats Up
This feature signals a bigger shift. AI platforms want to own product discovery and, eventually, the full buying experience. With the Perplexity AI Shopping Assistant, the competition in AI shopping is officially hotter than ever.
