Meta is testing a new AI-powered shopping research tool aimed at enhancing its advertising strategy rather than generating direct transaction revenue. Currently available to select US users on desktop, this tool offers product recommendations that direct users to merchant websites for purchases. Unlike competitors like ChatGPT and Google’s platforms, which facilitate direct transactions, Meta’s approach focuses on ad targeting based on user interactions with the chatbot.
In October 2025, Meta announced it would personalize ads by utilizing data from shopping conversations, further strengthening its ad business. Although Meta has not clarified its monetization strategy, analysts view this as a way to deepen its dominance in advertising without handling financial transactions, thus reducing trust and liability risks. The tool leverages Meta’s vast user base and existing commerce infrastructure, positioning it competitively against faster-moving rivals like OpenAI and Google, while also raising questions about categories available for search and mobile access.
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