Google Is Turning Search into a Shopping Assistant in India

New Delhi: Google is deepening its push into AI-powered shopping in India by weaving its Gemini models into the Shopping Graph, aiming to make product discovery faster, smarter, and more conversational.

At the core of these updates is Google’s Shopping Graph, a massive dataset with over 50 billion product listings worldwide. The company says nearly 2 billion of these listings are updated every hour, helping ensure that users see the latest information on pricing, stock availability, and product details in real time.

The new capabilities extend across Gemini, Search, and Circle to Search, signalling Google’s intent to turn shopping assistance into a seamless, always-available layer within its ecosystem.

Inside the Gemini app, users can now move beyond ideation and directly explore products within the same chat. This comes at a time when competing approaches to AI-driven shopping are still evolving, with some platforms scaling back earlier attempts to integrate checkout directly into conversational interfaces.

Instead of just receiving suggestions, they are presented with actual listings, pricing comparisons, and buying options without needing to switch platforms. The feature currently supports both English and Hindi, aligning with India’s diverse language preferences.

Google Search is also evolving into a more conversational experience. With updates to its AI Mode, users no longer need to rely heavily on filters or precise keywords. Instead, they can ask natural-language questions and receive structured responses that include visuals, summaries, and comparison tables.

These tables combine product specifications with insights pulled from user reviews, making it easier to evaluate options side by side. Similar formats are emerging across platforms experimenting with AI-driven shopping interfaces that combine search results with visual product discovery.

This marks a broader shift in Search, from simply directing users to links toward actively organising and interpreting information. In shopping scenarios, this could significantly cut down the time between product discovery and purchase, especially when comparing multiple items.

Circle to Search is getting smarter on newer devices. Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 users can now identify multiple products within a single image. This is especially useful for fashion and lifestyle searches. Users tap, circle, or scribble on different elements to isolate items. Shopping results appear instantly for each one.

These updates build on earlier features like Virtual Try-On. That feature launched in India last year. It lets users visualise clothing on themselves before buying. Together, they reflect Google’s broader strategy of reducing friction in online shopping. AI handles discovery, comparison, and decision-making on the user’s behalf.

The shift is also extending into commerce infrastructure. AI is powering storefronts and automating the buying experience for consumers and merchants alike. The real impact will depend on how accurately these tools understand user intent. Delivering unbiased, relevant recommendations in a competitive market remains the bigger test.