Shopping online? AI can chat—but it still needs context

Generative AI tools are increasingly being used in daily life, with nearly two-thirds of people having used tools like ChatGPT, a significant increase from 29% in 2023, according to data from Constructor and Shopify. Among Gen Z, this figure rises to 78%. This growing familiarity with AI is naturally extending to online shopping, leading consumers to question why AI-powered shopping experiences are not yet more sophisticated. The current application of AI in product discovery is still in its early stages, primarily focusing on understanding natural language queries rather than solving the complex decision-making process of personalizing recommendations. While AI can now interpret complex requests such as "I'm planning a tailgate, what do I need?" or "Help me find new running shoes," the critical challenge remains ensuring these recommendations are truly relevant to the individual shopper. This involves a deeper level of "detective work" to understand each shopper's specific needs and preferences, a problem that current AI systems are still developing solutions for.