TikTok has launched an AI shopping assistant and a new in-app checkout feature that lets users buy directly from brands without leaving the app.
The Shopping Assistant understands context and remembers users’ preferences, creating smoother and more tailored interactions. If you have questions about product details, shipping information, sizing, or availability, this AI is ready to help. It can even assist with completing a purchase without requiring you to leave the app.
Another exciting element is the one-click checkout feature. Users can make purchases directly from brands while scrolling through their For You feed, the app’s main video stream. This transforms TikTok’s impulse-driven discovery feed into a transactional space, enabling users to get immediate answers about products and make quick purchases on the spot.
By integrating these features, TikTok aims to capture more of the user shopping journey, increasing transaction value without sending users to other platforms. This strategy also helps keep users engaged within TikTok, reducing the need for external AI solutions like ChatGPT for product inquiries.
The Shopping Assistant and checkout feature are being built in partnership with commerce platforms and payment providers including Salesforce, Shopify, Shoplazza, and Stripe, among others.
While TikTok Shop has been the primary engine for the platform’s ecommerce ambitions, these new features broaden its approach beyond the existing shopping hub, integrating ecommerce tools directly into the overall TikTok experience. According to TikTok’s Economic Impact Report, interactions on the platform contributed $81 billion to the GDP of U.S. businesses, with 54 million Americans reporting that they bought a product after viewing it on TikTok.
Since launching TikTok Shop in the U.S. in September 2023, the platform has seen impressive sales. Market research firm eMarketer estimates that TikTok Shop generated about $15.8 billion in U.S. sales in 2025, accounting for roughly 18% of all U.S. social commerce.
