AI-powered shopping assistants are stuck in the past

All I wanted was a new smartwatch. I had a couple in mind, like the Google Pixel Watch 4 or the Garmin Vivoactive 6, but my AI shopping buddies seemed really convinced that watches from a couple of years ago were the way to go.

During the past month, OpenAI, Google, Confusionand Microsoft All have introduced new shopping features on their AI platforms, just in time for the holiday shopping season. ChatGPT can create a personalized buying guide for you. Copilot will help you track prices. Gemini will contact local stores on your behalf.

After asking four different AI bots to help me find a new watch, I was more impressed than I expected, but also very disappointed. Each AI system has gotten some things right, but the hiccups are both funny and crippling.

I asked the same question on ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot to start my search: “Can you help me find a good Android smartwatch for my Nothing CMF Phone 1?” From there, I let the AI ​​guide me through the research and shopping process.

ChatGPT was the most conversational, and the new Shopping Research feature was the most engaging and in-depth of the four AI models. He asked me which features were most important to me (design, battery life) and showed me a dozen or so products to evaluate (“more/less like this”), then compiled a list of recommendations complete with a spec comparison chart. Next, she gave me some links to deals on the best watch she suggested, the Garmin Vivoactive 5. The whole process took about 10 minutes.

The Fitbit Versa 4, Google Pixel Watch 3, and Ticwatch Pro 5 were also among ChatGPT’s recommendations for me. He was able to compare battery life, app compatibility, pricing, and the “best” use cases for each, such as “daily use,” “budget-friendly,” or “strong Android integration.”

I don’t typically turn to AI for help with tech shopping, but I can see how a feature like this could be useful for someone who’s not sure what to look for or where to start. Unfortunately, had I trusted ChatGPT’s suggestions, I would have ended up getting a last-gen Garmin watch, rather than the newer Garmin Vivoactive 6.

To be fair to ChatGPT, I didn’t specify “latest,” and the Garmin Vivoactive 5 is still widely available at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. However, the newer Vivoactive 6 does have some features that could be deal-breakers, like more storage space, GPS improvements, and new features like Smart Alarm. You may still be able to use the Vivoactive 5, especially if you want to save some money, but it may still be important to know what you’re sacrificing or have more options to compare it to.

This problem appeared in all four AI models, to varying degrees. Gemini suggested “latest model” for a few watches, including the CMF Watch Pro 3, but it also gave me a comparison chart of three key recommendations, all from 2023 and 2022, including the Google Pixel Watch 2, which has been updated several times now. Is the Pixel Watch 2 still available for less money than the newer Pixel Watch 4? certainly. But it also has a shorter battery life, uses an older charging setup, has thicker bezels, runs an older processor, and only comes in one size instead of two.

Perplexity suggested the latest Pixel Watch 4, but also pointed me towards the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4… from 2021. Things got really interesting in Perplexity’s shopping tab, where the ‘More Products’ section included a pile of cheap branded watches and even a phone. Confusion has made it easier to access the actual purchase links, which took longer to access on ChatGPT and Gemini. If I wanted a $7 “smartwatch with Bluetooth calling,” I would be in business.

Copilot immediately suggested the CMF Watch Pro 2, which is specifically designed to pair with my CMF Phone 1, but was excluded from most of the recommendations other AI models gave me. Unfortunately, Copilot is still ignoring the newer CMF Watch Pro 3. However, I found Copilot’s shopping sidebar to be the most useful. It included price history, pros and cons compiled from Amazon reviews, a few different purchase links, and an option to get price tracking notifications.

All the AI ​​pulled the CMF Watch Pro 3 when I edited my question to “What are the best current smartwatches for the Nothing CMF Phone 1?” However, they keep suggesting older smartwatches alongside the Watch Pro 3. Again, the CMF Watch Pro 2 is still available and may be the right choice for some people. AI models may recall older watches simply because newer models have lower reviews.

However, you won’t necessarily know that you might be missing out on a newer version of any of these products unless you specifically ask the AI ​​about the “current” or “newest” runners-up. In contrast, if you Read one of our reviews or Watch the comparison video Created by a real person, they will explain why you want (or don’t want) the latest version of the product. Artificial intelligence can sometimes get there if you dig a little, but it can be a hit or miss.

Then there is Google “Call me” feature.which lets you send automated calls to local stores to see if they have the product you’re looking for. I had to use the Google app on my phone to access this feature (instead of Gemini), and add “near me” or “nearby” to the end of my search query. When you scroll down in the site-specific results, you should see an option to allow Google to contact you, after asking you to confirm your site details and product order.

After waiting 15 minutes for Google to answer those phone calls, it emailed me to let me know that every store I called did not sell Garmin smartwatches. excellent.

All these AI-powered shopping tools may seem useful on paper, but in practice they don’t work. They seem to be pulling from two years of product data at this point, while also confidently giving you recommendations. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can be easy to end up with an outdated product, or even miss newer options that the AI ​​isn’t even aware of.

The issue of time is enough of a deal breaker here as it makes it difficult to recommend using any of the AI ​​shopping assistants, at least for now. A couple of them are on the right track, notably ChatGPT and Copilot, but they don’t suggest current top picks often enough to replace modern buying guides written by real people. For now, I will do my own research on the smartwatch.