TikTok is introducing an AI shopping assistant and a new in-app checkout option that lets users purchase directly from brands.

The company describes its Shopping Assistant as a conversational AI agent for product discovery and purchasing. It is designed to understand the context of a conversation and retain a user’s stated preferences and needs as the exchange continues.

How TikTok’s AI Shopping Assistant Works

TikTok’s Shopping Assistant provides real-time shopping guidance inside the app. Users can ask questions about products and receive information that may include:

  • Product details
  • Shipping information
  • Sizing
  • Availability
  • Help completing a purchase

By placing these answers within TikTok, the feature is intended to support users as they move from discovering a product to deciding whether to buy it.

One-Click Checkout From the For You Feed

TikTok is also adding an in-app checkout feature that allows users to buy directly from a brand with one click from the For You feed.

The For You feed is TikTok’s main algorithm-driven video feed. With direct checkout available in that feed, users can view product-related content, ask questions through the shopping assistant, and complete a purchase without being sent to another destination.

Together, the shopping assistant and checkout feature bring product discovery, shopping guidance, and payment closer together inside the TikTok app.

TikTok Expands Shopping Beyond TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop has been the platform’s in-house marketplace and a main part of TikTok’s e-commerce efforts. The new features expand that approach by bringing shopping tools into more areas of the app, including the For You feed.

Rather than depending only on TikTok Shop to drive purchases, TikTok is integrating product discovery and buying options more directly into the broader experience. This could allow the company to keep more of the shopping journey inside its platform and potentially retain more transaction value.

TikTok also appears to be positioning the in-app shopping assistant as a place for users to get product answers instead of turning to outside AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Commerce and Payment Partners

TikTok says the new shopping features are being developed with commerce platforms and payment providers. Its named partners include:

  • Salesforce
  • Shopify
  • Shoplazza
  • Stripe

TikTok’s Growing Role in Shopping

TikTok reported that activity on its platform helped generate $81 billion in GDP for U.S. businesses, according to its Economic Impact Report. The report also said that 54 million Americans had purchased a product after watching a TikTok video.

TikTok Shop launched in the United States in September 2023. Market research firm eMarketer estimated that it generated about $15.8 billion in U.S. sales in 2025, or roughly 18% of all U.S. social commerce.

The AI Shopping Assistant and one-click checkout build on that existing commerce activity by placing more shopping tools directly within TikTok’s video feed and app experience.