Perplexity has parterened with PayPal to introduce a new AI shopping experience called Instant Buy. The company says the feature allows users to search for products, browse retailer catalogs, and pay for items directly inside the chatbot interface without needing to visit an external website.

This update follows a previous report that Perplexity planned to bring PayPal-powered checkout into its search experience. In that report, the company said users would soon be able to purchase items from more than 5,000 PayPal merchants without leaving the platform. Today’s launch delivers the feature that was previewed.

Partnership with PayPal

As part of the deal, PayPal will manage the payment and checkout process. The integration means any retailer already using PayPal can appear inside Perplexity’s product results, plugging PayPal’s merchant network into the AI search interface. Users will be able to view live product listings from retailers that already rely on PayPal for checkout. According to Perplexity, The collaboration will let “retailers stay at the center of the transaction as the merchant of record.” 

How Instant Buy works inside the chat interface

This format changes the typical flow of online shopping. Instead of searching, visiting a retailer’s site, comparing options, and returning to the search results, Perplexity users can choose a product, pay, and continue chatting in the same thread.

Users can search in a conversational format and receive product suggestions tied to their specific queries. They can also ask follow-up questions. If they follow up by asking about a product, the system keeps the context and gives results based on the earlier query rather than starting from scratch.

The platform also generates product cards that highlight key specifications and reviews, instead of long scrolls of sponsored listings. The tool also learns from previous searches and patterns over time, shaping future recommendations.

PayPal’s launch offer

As part of the rollout, PayPal is offering 50% back on a user’s first Instant Buy transaction made between November 25 and December 1, with a maximum return of $50. The timing aligns with Black Friday and holiday shopping, when advertisers closely monitor shifts in search and purchasing behavior.

Where the feature is available

Instant Buy is available now on desktop and web. Perplexity says iOS and Android support will roll out in the coming weeks. For mobile-heavy shoppers, this extends the in-chat purchase flow to a broader audience once the apps update.

A growing AI shopping race

Perplexity is expanding into AI shopping as competition with Google and OpenAI grows. Earlier this month, OpenAI partnered with Shopify to release Instant Checkout in ChatGPT. The platform also extends its push into AI shopping today with the launch of ‘Shopping Research,’ a new tool that lets users find and compare products inside ChatGPT.

Google has been expanding its agentic shopping features through AI Mode. Perplexity’s move brings it into the same conversation as these larger players, especially as shoppers head into the holiday season.

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