3 min readNew DelhiJun 19, 2026 10:12 AM IST
First published on: Jun 18, 2026 at 01:13 PM IST
Pinterest has launched an experimental AI-powered shopping and discovery experience called Ask Pinterest, marking its latest effort to explore how conversational AI could reshape product recommendations and inspiration on its platform.
The announcement comes ahead of the adtech industry’s annual gathering at the Cannes Lions 2026 festival, where AI-driven tools for marketers and advertisers are expected to be a major focus.
Ask Pinterest is being introduced as a standalone web-based experience with limited access on both desktop and mobile devices. The company said the experiment is designed to test more conversational, visual-first and agentic shopping experiences without affecting the core Pinterest app.
The new platform is powered by Pinterest’s proprietary Taste Graph, an internal system that maps users’ interests, preferences and aesthetics. By leveraging these signals, Ask Pinterest aims to deliver more personalised recommendations and inspiration through natural-language interactions.
According to Pinterest, the experience is intended to support more complex and multi-step decisions that may not fit into a traditional search query. Examples include planning a dinner party on a budget, finding a gift or furnishing a room over time. The system is designed to retain context across sessions, enabling users to continue longer-term shopping and discovery journeys.
“We’re building AI experiences and infrastructure that tap into those signals in more useful and relevant ways,” said Lee Brown, Chief Business Officer, Pinterest, in the blog post.
The company notes that insights gained from the experiment will help shape future shopping and discovery experiences across its ecosystem.
The launch comes as AI chatbots increasingly compete with conversational search engines and shopping platforms for consumer attention. Companies including Google, Meta, and OpenAI have been expanding AI-powered shopping and discovery capabilities, prompting platforms to explore new ways of engaging users through conversational interfaces.
Alongside this launch, Pinterest also announced a range of AI initiatives aimed at advertisers and marketers. These include a beta AI assistant within Ads Manager, a new Performance + Creative model designed to help advertisers select the most effective ad creative for each impression, and Pinterest Model Context Protocol (MCP), an infrastructure layer that enables campaign management and monitoring through third-party agentic tools.
(This article has been curated by Shivani P Menon, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
Pinterest’s new Ask Pinterest app enables conversational, AI-powered shopping and product discovery experiences. (Image: Pinterest/ Express Image) 
Share
