The Apple Store app is set to transform the shopping experience with the introduction of an AI-powered virtual assistant. According to the updated privacy policy, the new tool will let users interact via chat to receive personalized suggestions for products like the iPhone, Mac, and iPad. This move marks another step for Apple in adopting AI to enhance its services, following a similar assistant in the Apple Support app, which has not yet rolled out to all users.
Apple collects account and device data to tailor recommendations
To deliver a customized experience, the virtual shopping assistant will gather and store information such as account details, device identifiers, carrier information, and location data (if enabled). Apple states that this data will be used solely to provide relevant responses during the chat and, with explicit consent, to improve the assistant. The company may share conversations with external partners, but only after stripping personal identifiers to ensure privacy. This approach mirrors practices seen in other features, such as the Leaked iOS 27 beta code reveals Apple can lock down leased iPhones, where data transparency is key.
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Third-party AI partners help shape conversational responses
Apple revealed that to generate conversational replies, chats will be sent to third-party partners specialized in AI models. These partners use the data only to assist Apple in producing natural, relevant responses, without repurposing it. Although Apple did not name the AI provider, the architecture suggests a large language model similar to those powering ChatGPT. This is not the first time Apple has explored conversational AI; earlier, ChatGPT suggested viewing orders for Marvel movies, demonstrating the technology's consumer potential.
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Chat transcripts are saved for future analysis
A key aspect of the new feature is the retention of chat transcripts. Apple will save conversation logs to let users resume chats later, for business analytics, and, with permission, to improve the virtual assistant. This means every question and answer could contribute to ongoing AI model training, a practice that requires careful privacy management. The initiative fits into Apple's broader service evolution: as reported in Apple Readies New iMac for Late 2026, the company continues innovating across hardware and software.
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Feature not yet fully deployed in the Apple Store app
Currently, the virtual shopping assistant interface is not live in the Apple Store app. Apple may be testing it with a limited user group, as it did with the Apple Support app. The official global launch timeline remains unclear, but the updated privacy policy hints at an imminent release. For a broader understanding of virtual assistants, Wikipedia provides a comprehensive overview: Virtual assistant.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/22/apple-store-app-shopping-assistant
