Pinterest CEO suggests that agentic shopping is still quite distant

Pinterest CEO says agentic shopping is years away despite AI growth.

: Pinterest CEO Bill Ready discussed the company's position regarding the agentic web, noting that while AI shopping assistants are being developed, true agentic shopping, where AI agents autonomously shop for users, remains a distant reality. He highlighted that investors are concerned AI might bypass platforms like Pinterest by tailoring user-specific shopping experiences. Ready emphasizes Pinterest as an AI-enabled shopping assistant, mentioning its proactive user recommendations and AI-powered systems like multimodal models. The company experienced a drop after earning $998 million in revenue, with adjusted earnings per share falling short of expectations at 33 cents.

Pinterest CEO Bill Ready stated in the company’s second-quarter earnings call that while AI is significantly improving online shopping experiences, the idea of agentic shopping—where AI autonomously makes purchases for users—is still a long way from becoming mainstream. He described the current advancements as enhancing style and taste matching rather than fully taking over the buying process, predicting that only the simplest transactions might see early adoption.

Ready highlighted that the barriers to agentic shopping are not solely technical but also deeply tied to user trust and readiness. Most consumers are not yet comfortable handing full control of product selection and purchasing to an AI, especially for complex or high-value items. Ethical concerns and the need for transparency further slow the adoption curve.

In response, Pinterest is focusing on AI tools that assist rather than replace users. These include personalized recommendations, multimodal search combining text and images, conversational shopping features, and AI-driven advertising optimization. The goal is to create a discovery experience that feels intuitive, engaging, and tailored to each individual.

This measured approach reflects Pinterest’s recognition of both AI’s current limits and the importance of maintaining user control. Ready described the current moment as a “Cambrian explosion” of AI capabilities, but stressed that these must be implemented responsibly and with a focus on enhancing—not replacing—the user experience.

Overall, Pinterest is leveraging AI to bridge the gap between inspiration and purchase, aiming to streamline the path from “I like that” to “I buy it” without crossing into fully autonomous shopping, which remains a distant vision for the industry.

Sources: TechCrunch, PYMNTS, WebProNews

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