In its initial response, ChatGPT did not provide any links to the product. But it easily provided them when I asked for them, and even though I didn't click on them one by one, there didn't seem to be any. illusion. Claude, on the other hand, apologized and said that it “actually cannot link directly to websites or products”. Anthropic hasn't released a web search feature for Claude yet, but the company says it's working on it.
Technically, that made Claude the least useful chatbot I tested in the shopping sector. But it also means that Anthropic has so far avoided entering ethically murky territory by allowing its AI chatbots to collect human-written product reviews on the web. Instead, Claude offers product comparisons based on existing data sets. On the other hand, Perplexity says that thanks to Buy with Pro, people “no longer have to wade through countless product reviews.”
When I asked Perplexity what I should buy for my editor/musician friend, they recommended a set of solar bike lights (I also noted that he is a cyclist). It's not a bad idea, but it's not exactly a worthy birthday gift either. I continue to adjust my reminders. What about personalized leather guitar straps? I went down the rabbit hole.
I began to understand that Perplexity's goal in enhancing its shopping features wasn't just to help me come up with new ideas or come up with incredibly thoughtful gifts. Confusion is playing a long game, gradually drawing our attention away from the competing corners of the web, to a better understanding of how people like me are using its platform and transferring data that into its ever-evolving AI models. Every time I need to refine my searches because the initial results are often lacking, I stay on Perplexity's app, which means I'm not on Amazon and not on Google (although I eventually visit both of those sites). Perplexity Pro is not an official e-commerce site, nor is it an “agent” in any way, but I am one of millions of people providing the information needed to become such sites .
When I turned to Google's Gemini, I found the gifts it suggested for my 16-year-old niece weren't bad, per se, just unimaginative and, in one case, confusing. It said I should buy her a “cat blanket to snuggle with a good book,” but it wasn't clear whether the blanket was for her or her cat. Kindle is a good idea. But I'm scared of what she'll text me if I send her the SAT prep book Gemini suggested (maybe “thx” and nothing else). The app ideas for my editor/musician friend were also unappealing, among them “Vinyl Records” and “High Quality Headphones.”
I'm using the old one Gemini versionbut earlier this month, Google began rolling out the newer version, Gemini 2.0, to developers and limited testers. The new AI model will “think multiple steps ahead and take action on your behalf,” the company said speak. Currently, this means taking action on developers' behalf—taking the next step in their coding process—but I'm eagerly awaiting the day it can cross my shopping list. I.
ChatGPT eventually led me to an online spice store where I bought a few special baking ingredients for my friend, who at this point, I was determined to become a finalist in. exam. Great British roast. I ended up chatting with the AI bots for so long that many of the gifts I chose wouldn't arrive until after Christmas. My niece will receive cash on the card. My search for a friend's important birthday gift was fruitless. I decided to stay on task until January, a month full of newness and determination.