Perplexity Launches AI Shopping Assistant for US with PayPal

Perplexity is taking a major step toward redefining how consumers shop online by transforming its AI assistant into a personalized shopping companion. The company has introduced a new conversational shopping experience that is now available for all users in the United States at no cost. This feature blends search, product exploration, and checkout into a single, continuous chat interface. The rollout starts with desktop and web platforms, while mobile support for iOS and Android is expected in the coming weeks—perfectly timed to meet the surge in holiday-season shopping.

With this update, users can begin a conversation by describing exactly what they are looking for. The assistant then refines results through follow-up prompts and presents curated product cards instead of traditional cluttered grids. These cards highlight key specifications, important reviews, and meaningful pros and cons, making it easier for shoppers to evaluate options quickly. Moreover, the system retains memory throughout the conversation. This means that if a user first searches for a winter jacket, then later asks about boots, a desk lamp, or even a marathon bag, the assistant keeps track of preferences, previous details, and style signals to deliver more relevant suggestions.

A core part of this new commerce experience is powered by Perplexity’s partnership with PayPal. Through this integration, customers can browse items from participating merchants, add products directly to their cart, and complete purchases without leaving the chat. While Perplexity facilitates the flow, brands remain the merchant of record, retaining full control of order management, returns, loyalty programs, and customer ownership. By compressing search, browsing, and cart management into a single conversational thread, the system aims to significantly reduce checkout abandonment—one of e-commerce’s biggest challenges. The shorter the gap between a user’s decision and payment, the more seamless the shopping journey becomes.

For Perplexity, this launch marks a deeper expansion into agentic commerce. The company is targeting high-intent queries—ones that users typically direct toward search engines or online marketplaces. Previously tested shopping features are now evolving into a unified, mainstream shopping experience available to all U.S. users.

For retailers within the PayPal ecosystem, this integration introduces an entirely new acquisition channel. Instead of hoping shoppers scroll through product pages or get lost in comparison sites, merchants can now engage customers directly within a conversation. Each chat begins closer to a potential purchase, reducing friction and improving conversion opportunities.

Perplexity’s conversational shopping tool signals a shift in the future of online retail—where search, discovery, personalization, and checkout happen fluidly in one AI-driven experience.