By Juliet Umeh
Shopping online may soon involve less scrolling, fewer filters and far more conversation, as Glovo moves its quick-commerce service into the growing world of generative artificial intelligence.
The multi-category technology company has announced the integration of its shopping service with ChatGPT and Claude, allowing users to discover products, compare prices and find items from local stores through ordinary conversations with AI.
Instead of opening an app, typing a product name and working through a maze of categories, users can simply state what they need.
For instance, a customer looking for a last-minute gift for a coffee lover for less than N50,000 can tell the AI exactly what they want.
The system then handles the search, checks the user’s location and curates products that fit the request.
The move effectively shifts online shopping from a “search and click” experience to an “ask and receive” model, with Glovo positioning the service as a digital shopping concierge.
Once ChatGPT or Claude is connected to Glovo, users can maintain a conversation with the AI, allowing it to remember preferences such as budgets and other shopping requirements.
The platform can then display up to five customised options, complete with product images, names, store details, ratings and prices.
However, the AI does not handle the final transaction.
Customers who find what they want can click the “View on Glovo” option, which takes them to the Glovo app or website to complete payment and place their orders.
According to Glovo, the initial focus will be on retail and grocery shopping, sectors where consumers are increasingly turning to AI to research products before making purchases.
Chief Technology Officer, Glovo, Shiro Theuri, said the company was simply meeting customers where they were already spending time.
“We’re always looking for ways to meet our customers where they already are,” Theuri said.
He added that being available on Claude and ChatGPT would enable customers to discover Glovo’s offerings “as part of a natural conversation, with no friction.”
To use the service, users will need to connect ChatGPT or Claude to Glovo through the plug-in and type glovo, followed by their request.
After selecting a product and completing the order on Glovo, the store prepares it while a rider heads to the pickup point, with delivery expected within minutes.
Founded in Barcelona in 2015, Glovo operates across 22 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Africa and describes itself as a pioneer of quick commerce.
The post Online shopping: Glovo cuts search stress with AI chat appeared first on Vanguard News.