The search engine startup Perplexity, backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and AI chip giant Nvidia, officially launched its smart shopping center on Monday. This significant feature marks a key step for the company in challenging Google's dominance in the search engine market.
According to Perplexity's introduction, when users ask shopping-related questions, the platform will present relevant product information in the form of product cards and display detailed product specifications visually. This new feature is made possible through deep integration with platforms like Shopify, allowing users to access the latest product information from Shopify merchants around the world that can be shipped to the United States in real-time.
It is noteworthy that as e-commerce platforms continue to enhance their use of AI tools to attract more merchants, Perplexity has also launched an innovative "Snap to Shop" visual search tool. Users simply need to upload a photo of a product, and the system can intelligently match similar products. These features will first be rolled out in the U.S. market, with plans to expand to other regions in the future.
At the same time, Perplexity announced the launch of a "Merchant Program," allowing retailers to directly provide product information to the platform. According to previous reports by Reuters, Perplexity is undergoing a new round of financing, with a valuation expected to reach $9 billion.
In the context of OpenAI adding a series of search features to ChatGPT, officially becoming a direct competitor, Perplexity's expansion of its business scope is particularly noteworthy. This not only highlights the intense competition in the AI search market but also signals the imminent arrival of a new wave of innovation in smart shopping experiences.
