Piyush M Padwale
On Sunday, Google announced that it will integrate shopping into its Gemini AI Chatbot, in collaboration with popular retailers such as Walmart, Shopify, Wayfair and many others. As a result, Gemini will turn into a virtual shopping platform, further extending its services as an assistant that helps in day-to-day activities as well.
Some of the key features of this update are: users will be able to buy products and complete payments directly through Gemini without having to visit retailer websites or apps.
It also carries an instant checkout option by enabling users to complete payments without exiting the conversation. And the best one being if users manage to link their accounts (Eg. Gemini with Walmart), Gemini can also suggest products based on your previous purchase history through chat, while also merging products into existing shopping carts.
Initially launched in the US with future plans for global expansion, this move was announced as part of the National Retail Federation’s annual convention in New York, where the impact of AI in e-commerce was a major topic of discussion.
This decision also intensifies competition in the AI-powered commerce space, expecting competition from platforms such as OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Amazon, which are also in line to develop similar in-chat shopping and checkout tools.
ChatGPT already has an existing checkout feature that follows the similar style of instant checkouts without leaving the chat, and has garnered support from top platforms like Etsy and Shopify, while also displaying product listings, prices, and reviews, further reducing the need to open external sites. Community reports also suggest several merchants are already using it.
The only difference between the two being is that while Gemini integrates purchases directly with users’ existing retail accounts and carts, ChatGPT comes with the option of product discovery with one-click checkout using merchant catalogues via payment options like PayPal.
Analysts suggest that AI already plays a huge role in a large share of global retail shares, and a move like this represents a huge shift from traditional web/app-based search to an AI-led commerce experience.