Shipt Rolls Out AI Shopping Assistant to Compete in Delivery App Race

Target-owned Shipt has introduced "Ask Shipt," an artificial intelligence shopping assistant designed to streamline the online grocery and goods ordering experience. The feature allows customers to describe what they need in plain language, and the AI automatically curates and populates a ready-to-purchase cart based on those instructions.

How It Works#

The new assistant accepts a range of request types. Users can specify occasions and guest counts—for instance, requesting items for a tailgate party of 25 people with breakfast components. They can also ask for meal-planning help, such as building carts around specific dietary goals or budget constraints, like a $35 family dinner for five.

The tool goes beyond text input: customers can share photos of dishes they've spotted online or at restaurants, and the assistant identifies ingredients needed to recreate them. This combination of natural language processing and image recognition transforms ad-hoc shopping ideas into actionable orders.

Part of a Broader Industry Trend#

Shipt enters a crowded field of delivery platforms racing to embed AI into their core functionality. Earlier the same day, Instacart launched "Clementine", its own AI grocery assistant. Uber Eats and DoorDash have rolled out comparable AI tools throughout 2026, signaling that intelligent shopping assistants have become table stakes for major players in the space.

Alignment with Broader Target Strategy#

Ask Shipt complements a series of AI-driven enhancements rolling out across Target.com, including AI-powered visual search, automated review summaries, and recommendation engines tailored to individual shoppers. This integrated approach strengthens Target's digital ecosystem.

The assistant is live now within both the mobile Shipt app and on Shipt.com.