Apple to Add Virtual Shopping Assistant to App Store

Apple appears to be preparing a virtual shopping assistant for its App Store.

Although no official announcement has been made, a report Wednesday (July 22) from the website Apple Insider pointed to a passage in the company’s App Store privacy policy suggesting that a new feature—similar to the Apple Support Assistant—could be implemented soon.

As the report noted, the policy mentions Virtual Shopping Assistant, what data it collects, and a specific setting toggle that doesn’t yet exist within the Apple Store app. The Apple Store app was updated on July 22, but there is no sign of this new AI chat tool.

“Where the Apple Store app virtual shopping assistant is available, Apple collects and stores your account information, device identifiers, carrier information, chat information, and where enabled, location data to personalize the chat experience, provide relevant responses, and if you opt in, to improve the virtual shopping assistant,” the policy said.

The new tool is happening at a moment when AI-powered shopping assistants have become a top priority for retailers, according to recent PYMNTS Intelligence research.

The report “Global Digital Shopping Index: The AI-Powered Shopper Has Arrived,” commissioned by Visa Acceptance Solutions, found that these assistants were the most frequently cited digital capability merchants plan to invest in during the next three years, named by 37% of retailers.

“The increase has coincided with reduced emphasis on several features that became standard components of digital commerce, such as merchant support for cross-channel shopping, stored payment methods and mobile apps,” PYMNTS wrote earlier this month. “The changes do not necessarily mean that retailers are abandoning these capabilities. Instead, they suggest merchants are becoming more selective about where they devote development budgets and personnel.”

This changing allocation of resources is in line with larger shifts seen in consumer behavior, the report said, with nearly half (47%) of online shoppers using some type of AI during their most recent purchase.

Consumers used the technology to compare products, research purchases and find product information before making a transaction. Meanwhile 64% of consumers said they expect to use AI shopping agents within the next two years.

“The adoption rates help explain why retailers are placing greater emphasis on AI,” PYMNTS wrote. “Product discovery has long influenced purchasing decisions, and AI is becoming another point where merchants compete for consumer attention.”