Shipt launches AI shopping assistant to build carts from natural language requests

Shipt has rolled out an AI-powered shopping assistant that builds carts from natural language requests, making it the latest delivery platform to bolt generative AI onto its app. The company says users can now type commands like "Create a cart for my Saturday tailgate for 25 people and include some brunch items" or "Build a cart for easy school lunches and after-school snacks," and the assistant will populate a suggested order for review before checkout.

The feature arrives as grocery and delivery rivals — including Instacart and Amazon Fresh — have already introduced similar AI tools that translate broad requests into specific product lists. Shipt's version is trained on its catalog and shopping data, and it's designed to handle multi-item needs, like party planning or weekly meal prep, without the user hunting through categories one product at a time.

Shipt, which operates in thousands of U.S. cities and partners with retailers like Target, CVS, and Costco, is positioning the assistant as a time-saver for busy shoppers. The company hasn't disclosed the underlying model or how it handles dietary restrictions or brand preferences, but it says the assistant can refine suggestions based on follow-up prompts, such as "make it vegetarian" or "swap for organic options."

The assistant is rolling out gradually to Shipt members, starting with a subset of users on the app's iOS and Android versions. Shipt hasn't said when it will be available to all customers, nor has it shared metrics on how early testers have used the feature. The company is also keeping quiet on whether the assistant will eventually support voice input or integrate with its scheduled delivery options.

For Shipt, the AI helper is a bid to differentiate in a crowded market where gig-delivery margins are thin and customer loyalty is hard to win. By reducing the time it takes to assemble a cart, Shipt hopes to nudge users toward larger, more frequent orders — a strategy that hinges on the assistant getting recommendations right on the first try.

But the launch also raises questions about how well AI can handle the nuance of grocery shopping, where ripeness, substitution preferences, and last-minute changes matter. Shipt says users can edit or remove any item before submitting, and the assistant learns from past orders to improve future suggestions. Whether that's enough to win over skeptics who still prefer to browse aisles — virtual or real — remains to be seen.

The broader delivery industry is watching closely. If Shipt's assistant drives measurable increases in basket size or order frequency, expect competitors to double down on their own AI features. If it stumbles, it'll be a cautionary tale about the limits of generative AI in a domain where practical details often trump convenience.