Perplexity says its AI personal shopper 'puts you first'

"The recommended products show up as cards with specs and reviews, and users can buy products directly through Perplexity from merchants that support PayPal. If you ask for a jacket to wear on your commute by ferry across the Bay to San Francisco, Perplexity says the chatbot will remember this past interaction to inform its recommendation when you later ask for boots. It's available now on the desktop and web, with mobile access via iOS and Android due in "the coming weeks.""

"Perplexity's announcement post takes digs at search bars that it says "fail at exploration" and editorial outlets that "prioritize affiliate revenue over matching readers to the exact products they'll love" Online shopping, Perplexity says, tends to focus on speedy checkouts, "not the joy" of shopping. Instead, Perplexity says its AI assistants, also called agents by other companies, "understand intent, remember preferences, and act as extensions of how users would approach a task on their own.""

Perplexity launched a free AI-powered shopping feature for US users that lets people type queries, refine results with follow-up questions, and view recommended products as cards with specs and reviews. Users can purchase products directly through Perplexity from merchants that support PayPal via an Instant Buy partnership designed to keep merchants engaged. The chatbot remembers prior interactions to inform future recommendations and is available on desktop and web, with mobile access coming to iOS and Android. Perplexity positions its AI assistants as intent-aware, preference-remembering tools focused on exploratory, enjoyable shopping rather than only fast checkouts.

Read at The Verge