Swiss retailers prepare for AI shopping assistants but question their uptake

AI shopping assistants can search for products and compare options based on a user’s preferences.

They could save shoppers time by looking across online stores instead of making people visit each site themselves.

Meta Muse and OpenAI Dots launched in September, but they are not yet available in Switzerland.

People with technical skills can already set up their own assistants.

For an assistant to shop on a retailer’s site, the retailer needs to provide a technical connection called an MCP.

Galaxus has installed one, while Brack is preparing the technical groundwork, but both remain uncertain about widespread adoption.

Setting up these connections costs money and technical resources, which could give large retailers an advantage over smaller ones.

The tools may make shopping easier for consumers, but they could also change how online retailers compete.