Microsoft rolls out Copilot shopping for web and mobile: Details

Microsoft has officially unveiled Copilot Shopping, a groundbreaking AI-driven shopping feature integrated within its Copilot app for both web and mobile platforms. This innovative tool is designed to enhance the online shopping experience by providing a seamless purchasing journey powered by artificial intelligence. Unveiled during the celebration of Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, Copilot Shopping aims to redefine how consumers discover, compare, and purchase products on the internet. The system responds to natural language queries, enabling users to explore items, track prices, read consumer reviews, and complete transactions without needing to navigate away from the app. According to a recent announcement from Microsoft Copilot’s official X account, this feature builds upon the company’s broader initiative to incorporate generative AI into everyday tasks. This launch follows similar moves by tech giants like Google and OpenAI, who have also initiated AI shopping functionalities via their platforms. Copilot Shopping acts as a comprehensive virtual assistant, guiding users from product discovery to checkout. Shoppers can pose specific or open-ended questions, such as "What’s the best smartwatch for fitness tracking?" or "What equipment do I need for photography?" The AI provides curated, interactive visual cards that showcase relevant products along with summaries, specifications, pros and cons, and user reviews. Once a user selects a product, Copilot Shopping performs a price comparison across various retailers, highlighting the best available deals. This allows consumers to finalize their purchases directly within the app, eliminating the hassle of switching between multiple e-commerce sites. One of the standout features of Copilot Shopping is its price tracking functionality. This tool not only displays the historical price trends of products but also lets users set their desired purchase price through an intuitive slider. When the price drops to the user's preferred level, the app sends an alert, encouraging them to complete the purchase. Microsoft began testing this shopping feature last month, and with its rollout now live, the tech giant is positioning Copilot Shopping as a vital AI-driven retail companion. This move aims to offer unparalleled convenience and insights in an ever-evolving e-commerce environment.