Pinterest launches experimental AI shopping app ‘Ask Pinterest’ for conversational product discovery

Pinterest on Wednesday introduced an experimental new application called ‘Ask Pinterest,’ designed to explore a more conversational approach to shopping and product discovery. The standalone app, which will initially be available in limited access, represents the company’s latest effort to leverage its proprietary ‘Taste Graph’ — an internal data system that maps user interests and aesthetic preferences — to deliver highly personalized recommendations through a chatbot-like interface.

What is Ask Pinterest?

Ask Pinterest is an AI-powered experience that expands the visual discovery platform’s core functionality beyond traditional search. Instead of typing keywords to find images, users can ask natural language questions, such as planning a dinner party or furnishing a room over time. The app retains user context across sessions and can draw on a user’s saved Pins and Boards to tailor its suggestions. This conversational layer is designed to handle complex, multi-step queries that would not fit a standard Pinterest search.

Why a standalone app?

By launching Ask Pinterest as a separate application, Pinterest can experiment with conversational AI technology without disrupting the main Pinterest experience. The company sees this as a testing ground for features that could eventually be integrated into its flagship app. The move comes as AI chatbots increasingly compete with traditional search engines for consumer attention, with companies like Google, ChatGPT, Meta, and Shopify all experimenting with AI-driven shopping tools.

New AI tools for advertisers

Alongside the consumer-facing app, Pinterest announced several AI initiatives aimed at advertisers. These include a beta AI assistant in its Ads Manager (available in the U.S.), a new AI model called Performance+ creative that helps advertisers select the best-performing ad creative for each impression, and the Pinterest Model Context Protocol (MCP) — an infrastructure layer that allows advertisers to manage and monitor campaigns using third-party agentic tools in a standardized way. The announcements come just ahead of the Cannes Lions advertising festival, where AI’s role in marketing is a central theme.

Why this matters

Pinterest’s approach to AI is distinctive because it relies on its own first-party data — the Taste Graph — rather than licensing its recommendation capabilities to other platforms. This strategy allows the company to maintain control over the user experience and data privacy. As Pinterest’s Chief Business Officer, Lee Brown, stated, ‘the future of discovery won’t be driven by keywords alone. It will be shaped by context, taste, and trusted recommendations.’ For users, Ask Pinterest offers a more intuitive way to find products and inspiration, while for advertisers, the new tools promise more efficient and effective campaign management.

Conclusion

Pinterest’s experimental AI shopping app marks a significant step in the evolution of visual discovery, moving from keyword-based search to conversational, context-aware recommendations. While still in limited release, Ask Pinterest provides a glimpse into how AI could reshape online shopping experiences. Combined with new advertising tools, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of AI innovation and e-commerce, with potential implications for both consumers and marketers.

FAQs

Q1: How is Ask Pinterest different from regular Pinterest search?
Ask Pinterest uses a conversational, chatbot-like interface to handle complex, multi-step queries that require context and personalization, unlike traditional keyword-based search.

Q2: Will Ask Pinterest replace the main Pinterest app?
No, Ask Pinterest is a standalone experimental app designed to test AI features. Insights from the experiment may eventually be integrated into the main Pinterest app.

Q3: What is the Pinterest Taste Graph?
The Taste Graph is Pinterest’s proprietary data system that maps users’ interests, preferences, and aesthetic tastes to deliver highly personalized recommendations.