Perplexity AI adds shopping features

New Delhi: AI startup Perplexity has launched a new shopping feature, 'Perplexity Shopping,' where users can research, compare, and purchase products without leaving the Perplexity ecosystem.

Backed by investors including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, Perplexity AI has integrated its search capabilities with shopping functionalities, offering product cards that display relevant items based on user queries. 

These cards provide detailed product information, pricing, and a seamless "Buy with Pro" one-click checkout option for its US-based Pro subscribers, with plans for international expansion.

The new feature is powered by platform integrations, including Shopify, providing access to up-to-date and relevant product information from businesses.

Perplexity's new online shopping rollout introduces 'Snap to Shop'—a visual search tool that displays products based on photos users take of an item.

The move comes at a time when competition in the AI-driven search market is intensifying. Perplexity's initiative positions the startup as a direct competitor in the e-commerce space, potentially disrupting how consumers approach online shopping.

Perplexity's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, emphasised the company's vision to transform from a search tool into a comprehensive service platform. "Our aim is to make Perplexity not just a place where you find information but where you can act on it," Srinivas stated, reflecting on the launch.