Instacart is expanding its AI-powered shopping technology with the introduction of Cart Assistant, an intelligent agent designed to guide shoppers in real time as they browse grocery stores. The feature, announced by CEO Chris Rogers during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, will debut on Instacart’s retailer websites and some of its Caper smart shopping carts. Caper carts, acquired by Instacart in 2021 from Caper AI, already offer automated item scanning, digital receipts, spending tracking, coupon access, and contactless checkout. Now, they’ll integrate AI-driven decision support to enhance the in-store experience. For example, a shopper planning a dinner party for ten guests could ask Cart Assistant to recommend a grocery list within their budget. The AI could also help avoid unwanted ingredients—such as gluten—by scanning the entire basket mid-shopping, Rogers explained during the call. Beyond shopping assistance, Instacart is rolling out other AI tools for retailers. These include real-time inventory tracking to identify out-of-stock items and AI-driven product recommendations based on customer behavior and preferences. The company is leveraging its vast data set—17 million unique items and over $1.5 billion in order history—to train these models and deliver personalized, efficient shopping experiences. While Instacart remains best known for its delivery service, which relies on a network of gig workers, the company is increasingly focusing on its business-to-business technology offerings. By providing AI tools to grocery chains, Instacart is positioning itself as a key player in the future of smart retail. The move comes as major retailers seek to modernize the shopping experience. Last month, Walmart partnered with OpenAI to let customers order products through ChatGPT, signaling a broader industry shift toward AI integration. With Cart Assistant, Instacart is not just streamlining shopping—it’s redefining how consumers interact with stores, one smart cart at a time.