TikTok has announced the launch of its AI shopping assistant and an in-app checkout feature, promising users a new way to shop directly from brands within the app. The AI assistant is designed to offer real-time guidance, from product details to purchase completion, while the one-click checkout makes the buying process quick and simple.

This move further blurs the lines between social media and e-commerce, allowing users to discover and purchase products seamlessly. By integrating these tools into the For You feed, TikTok aims to keep users within its platform for the entire shopping journey, potentially capturing more transaction value. The partnership with commerce platforms like Salesforce and Shopify suggests a comprehensive approach to social commerce.

As TikTok’s influence on shopping grows, the company’s new features could significantly impact how users make purchases. Last year, TikTok reported that activity on its platform helped generate $81 billion in GDP for U.S. businesses, and 54 million Americans had bought products after watching TikTok videos. This trend is likely to continue, with TikTok Shop now generating about 18% of all U.S. social commerce sales.

The expansion of these features could also mean that TikTok is looking to compete with other AI tools, such as ChatGPT, by providing users with a more integrated and convenient shopping experience. Whether this will change how users interact with social media and e-commerce remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the future of shopping is looking more and more like TikTok.