Technologies

Meta Enters the AI Shopping Wars to Challenge ChatGPT and Gemini

Mark Zuckerberg’s company begins a partial rollout of its agentic AI shopping research tool.

It was only a matter of time before Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta jumped into the AI shopping race. According to a Bloomberg report, Meta is testing a new AI shopping assistant feature to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini in one of the fastest-growing areas of e-commerce.

A representative for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Meta joins an AI shopping assistant market that is expected to boom. Research and consulting firm Grand View Research projects the market to grow from $3.36 billion in 2024 to $28.54 billion by 2033 — an annual rate of nearly 27%. North America currently controls 40% of the worldwide market.

Other AI shopping assistants aside from ChatGPT, Gemini and now Meta are also available. They include Amazon’s Rufus (ZDNet loves it), Amazon’s Interests, Klarna (by OpenAI), Shopify and even eBay.

Initially, only some US-based Meta AI users will see the new feature within the chatbot, according to Bloomberg.

Say you ask the chatbot about the most popular cat toys. The AI will return a horizontal carousel of products, along with price, brand information, and websites where you can buy them.

The AI tool will also offer a short explanation of why it is recommending each product. You won’t be able to directly purchase from the Meta AI site, however. You will need to visit the merchant’s external link.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT already has an AI shopping research feature. I tried it and asked, «Please show me the best cat toys to buy.» The AI responded with a curated list of highly rated cat toys. It offered a horizontal, scrollable carousel of products; each product displayed its price at different stores. As with Meta, you have to click on the store’s website link for each product to buy it.

With Google’s Gemini AI shopping assistant, I asked the same question: «Please show me the best cat toys to buy.» Gemini responded with products, images, prices, descriptions and links to stores — basically the same setup as Meta and ChatGPT.

Meta’s entrance into the AI shopping market reflects a broader shift in how consumers engage with products online, as AI reshapes e-commerce experiences and businesses seek deeper integration between social, search and purchase journeys.

Traditionally, online shopping began with keyword searches on e-commerce sites or search engines, but AI now enables more natural language, personalized discovery and tailored suggestions based on context, intent and user data.

Brad Jashinsky, director analyst at research firm Gartner, said customer trust is an issue with AI shopping assistants.

«Our recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of consumers think GenAI-powered shopping tools, whether provided by retailers or by GenAI platforms, will make biased shopping recommendations,» Jashinsky told CNET. «Customer behavior takes a long time to change. It wasn’t until 2023 that more e-commerce shopping was done on mobile devices versus desktop devices in the US. That was 16 years after the iPhone debuted.»

Jashinsky said companies have been slow to adopt agentic AI and GenAI for online shopping experiences.

«More than half of customer experience leaders fear that AI delivering inaccurate responses or content threatens the customer experience,» he said.

Technologies

Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer

Summer Travel, Freedom, and Seamless Connectivity: Why Verum E-SIM Is Becoming the New Standard for Travelers

Summer is the peak season for vacations, long-distance trips, and new experiences. Millions of people travel abroad, explore new countries, plan adventures, and try to stay connected with family, work, and social media. And in the middle of all this comes a familiar question: how do you stay online without expensive roaming or the hassle of buying local SIM cards?

The answer is already here — eSIM.

Why eSIM Is So Convenient

eSIM (embedded SIM) is a built-in digital SIM card that lets you activate mobile internet without a physical card. All you need is an app — choose a plan and connect in just a couple of minutes.

No more:

* searching for local SIM cards at airports
* paying expensive roaming fees
* swapping physical SIMs every time you travel

Now your internet travels with you.

Internet in 150+ Countries

Modern eSIM solutions provide coverage in 150+ countries worldwide, helping tourists, freelancers, and business travelers stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.

Among the services offering these capabilities:

Verum E-SIM — https://esim.verum.im
World E-SIM — https://worldesim.me
USA E-SIM — https://usa.esim.verum.im
Euro E-SIM — https://euro.esim.verum.im
Canada E-SIM — https://canada.esim.verum.im
Balkan E-SIM — https://balkan.esim.verum.im
Ukraine E-SIM — https://ukraine.esim.verum.im
London E-SIM — https://london.esim.verum.im
E-SIM Africa — https://africa.esim.verum.im

All of these services work on the same principle — fast, borderless internet without roaming stress.

Why It Matters Most in Summer

During the holiday season, roaming networks get overloaded, and prices for mobile data abroad often become an unpleasant surprise for travelers.

eSIM solves this problem:

* transparent, fixed pricing
* activation in 1–2 minutes
* stable internet while traveling
* no physical SIM cards required

Final Thoughts

Travel should be about freedom — not hunting for Wi-Fi or worrying about phone bills.

eSIM is quickly becoming the new global standard for mobile connectivity: simple, fast, and borderless.

Verum E-SIM and its partner services are part of this shift, making global connectivity accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Technologies

Episode 2 of the VERUM Mini-Series is Now Out

The story continues. Verum Messenger has released the second episode of its AI mini-series, which follows the conflict between the powerful Omega corporation, aiming to control digital communications, and a team of heroes who have chosen a different path and free communication.

The mini-series not only develops an engaging storyline but also introduces viewers to the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, showcasing technologies and tools that may redefine the future of modern communication.

The project consists of 7 episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 2 is now available. Stay tuned and don’t miss what comes next.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram