Mobile Tech

Revolutionizing Shopping: Apple Store’s New AI Assistant

Published

7 seconds ago

August 25, 2026

Apple Store Virtual Shopping Assistant Preview

Apple recently hinted at the introduction of a virtual shopping assistant in the Apple Store app through an update to its privacy policy. While details on how it would function or when it would be available were scarce, some users are now reporting the gradual rollout of the AI bot.

The update to Apple’s terms mainly outlined the type of data the virtual shopping assistant would collect and how users could opt out through a new “Chat Improvements” option in the app’s settings. However, as of now, most users have not seen the virtual assistant or the new toggle in the Apple Store app.

Nevertheless, some users have spotted the AI-powered tool, as shared by leaker ShrimpApplePro on X:

The feature is labeled as an “Early Preview” in the screenshot, but it’s unclear if this is just for a wider rollout or if it’s limited to a select test group.

The virtual assistant is expected to integrate with Apple Store search, replacing the magnifying glass with a chat bubble featuring an AI sparkle. Users can input standard search terms or ask natural language questions for assistance with product comparisons, carrier offers, order status checks, and more.

Initial prompts on the screenshot include queries like “Latest Apple products,” “Help me choose a Watch,” “Find my trade-in value,” “iPhone Monthly payments,” “Explain carrier offers,” and “Compare iPad lineup.” These are likely just starting points, and it remains to be seen how the assistant handles more complex requests.

The virtual shopping assistant is not expected to be limited to specific hardware. It is powered by artificial intelligence, potentially connecting to an AI system on Apple’s servers. This means it should be accessible on older iPhone and iPad models, not just the latest AI-capable devices.

Notably, there have been no updates to the Apple Store app since the discovery of the new information in the privacy policy on July 22. This suggests that Apple may have already implemented the necessary changes for the virtual shopping assistant in a previous update, awaiting activation on individual Apple Accounts.

Despite having the latest app version and running the latest iOS releases and betas on various devices, the virtual assistant has not appeared for some users yet. A wider rollout is expected in the coming weeks, with questions remaining about international expansion or a US-only release.