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# One Tech Tip: Up your Christmas shopping game with AI tools

February 21, 2026 | Staff Reporterd
Black Friday shoppers queue to enter FAO Schwarz in New York on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025

A year ago, chatbots that served as shopping assistants were a novel idea. They're all over now.

Following the introduction of AI-powered assistants, tech companies and online retailers have started incorporating further AI technologies to enhance the convenience and ease of online shopping.

The newest wave of AI-powered purchasing tools and services launched in recent weeks, right before Black Friday, the start of the holiday shopping season.

In the lead-up to Christmas, the following list of both recently launched and established AI services might assist you in finding the ideal present:

## Retail chatbots

In 2024, Amazon took the lead by launching its Rufus chatbot. To improve online purchasing, several e-commerce firms adopted AI assistants of their own.

Walmart's Sparky chatbot, which can synthesize reviews or make product recommendations based on events like Christmas, is accessible through the retail behemoth's app. A gift finder chatbot was just released by Target on their app, but it's only accessible during the holidays. Microsoft and Ralph Lauren collaborated to create the "Ask Ralph" chatbot, which offers style advice.

Making it simpler for consumers to find what they're seeking for is the goal of using chatbots. For a conversational back-and-forth, you can type or use voice dictation in place of typing search terms and keywords.

In my experience, the outcomes can vary.

Recently, I attempted Rufus to find a protected trivet for my kitchen sink faucet and an aftermarket stainless steel pot to replace my rice cooker. The outcomes in both instances were not entirely accurate and appeared to understate the variety of products that were offered. Occasionally, the outcomes were wholly inappropriate.

In order to locate the correct things, I had to do a more thorough search through the product listings' images and characteristics. I believe that some of the issue stems from my search for generic products. Results from searches for name-brand products might be better.

## AI-powered buying advice

Maybe you don't want to restrict your Christmas shopping search to the websites of just one retailer. Or perhaps you're unsure of where to look for that ideal present.

AI-powered purchasing solutions that can search various websites have been introduced by IT platforms.

Last week, OpenAI introduced a new "shopping research" tool to ChatGPT that can offer tailored purchasing recommendations for goods with a lot of particular specifications, such as appliances or electronics. Asking ChatGPT a query about shopping or manually turning it on in the chat window will enable the feature. According to OpenAI, it is capable of answering more complex queries than standard ChatGPT, such verifying a feature or price.

Using Google's search engine in AI Mode, which recently received a significant improvement for retail queries, gives consumers a similar experience. With the help of 50 billion product listings that include images, pricing, ratings, and inventory information, the business claims that customers can describe what they're looking for as if speaking to a friend and receive a "intelligently organized response."

Last month, Google gave its Gemini AI chatbot app for US consumers comparable shopping capabilities.

Perplexity, on the other hand, this week introduced its own shopping assistant function that can customize suggestions according to past searches.

I asked each of the three to locate a comfortable flannel shirt made of cotton. I was asked for specific needs, such budget and essential functionality, by both ChatGPT and Perplexity. The most thorough response came from ChatGPT, which included six brand selections in addition to its top choice. Each shirt's photos, pricing, and point-form explanations were supplied. Additionally, it created a comparison table from the results.

Google's results felt the most generic because they didn't ask any follow-up questions after I made my original request. The outcomes of Perplexity were in the middle.

## Try it on virtually

So, you think you’ve found a stylish cardigan for your spouse. However, you're unsure of the atmosphere or silhouette.

With the help of generative AI "try on" tools, users may visualize how an item of apparel might seem on the wearer.

Current virtual dressing room solutions have depended on augmented reality, genuine picture sessions, and intricate 3D rendering. In order to evaluate how garments fit, consumers were frequently restricted to selecting a model that best matched their body type.

Using images of themselves in basic stances, Google is now utilizing AI to let customers virtually try on clothing and shoes. The exceptions include lingerie, bathing suits, and accessories like jewelry or hats.

This feature allows you to add a full-length photo of yourself after tapping the "Try it on" button on a product's photo. It is accessible through Google's shopping desktop search and mobile app in Australia, Japan, Canada, and the United States. After that, you can share or download the photo of you holding the tested item. Additionally, the original photo is retained to your account, saving you from constantly uploading new pictures.

Google states that you can upload someone's photo if you're looking to buy them a gift, but only with their consent.

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