This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) appears to be taking another step in the AI race, this time by testing a shopping feature inside its chatbot as it looks to compete more directly with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Gemini.
The feature, now being tested with some U.S. users on the Meta AI web experience, lets people ask for product recommendations in plain language. Instead of just answering with text, the chatbot responds with a scrollable set of product images, along with brand names, pricing details, and links to buy. It also gives a short explanation of why those items were suggested.
It is a subtle but important shift. AI tools are increasingly becoming starting points for shopping research, not just search engines. That means platforms that control the interface could also shape where consumer spending flows.
