Pinterest on Wednesday introduced a new experimental application called “Ask Pinterest,” a move that signals the company’s growing interest in conversational shopping and AI-powered product discovery. The standalone experience serves as a testing ground for features that could eventually become part of Pinterest’s primary platform. Alongside the launch, the company also revealed several AI-focused initiatives, including Pinterest Model Context Protocol (MCP) for advertisers and a range of new AI-driven advertising tools.
The announcement arrives just before the annual Cannes Lions festival, where discussions across the advertising and marketing industry are increasingly centered on how artificial intelligence can reshape campaign performance, customer engagement, and brand strategy.
At the heart of Ask Pinterest is the company’s proprietary “Taste Graph,” a vast internal system that connects users with interests, preferences, and aesthetic trends. Pinterest says access to the new application will initially be limited as it evaluates the technology and gathers feedback.
Designed as a conversational companion rather than a traditional search interface, Ask Pinterest allows users to explore products and ideas through natural language prompts. Instead of scrolling through search results, consumers can interact with the system much like they would with a chatbot, receiving personalized recommendations, inspiration, and guidance tailored to their interests.
The launch also reflects a broader shift taking place across the digital landscape. AI assistants are increasingly competing with conventional search engines for user attention, particularly in shopping-related experiences. Companies such as Google have already integrated AI into online purchasing journeys, helping consumers discover products, monitor pricing, and complete purchases. Meanwhile, platforms including ChatGPT, Meta, Shopify, and others have explored various forms of AI-assisted commerce.
Rather than positioning itself as a supplier of recommendation data for external AI platforms through licensing arrangements, Pinterest has largely focused on leveraging its own vast repository of user insights to develop in-house AI technologies and experiences.
Creating Ask Pinterest as a separate application also gives the company room to experiment freely without altering the familiar experience of its core platform. In effect, the app functions as a laboratory where new ideas can be tested before potentially reaching Pinterest’s broader audience.
According to the company, Ask Pinterest is particularly suited for more nuanced or multi-step requests that don’t fit neatly into a traditional search bar. Users might ask for assistance organizing a dinner party, planning a home redesign over several months, or tackling other projects that require ongoing context and personalized recommendations. Pinterest says one of its goals is to explore how AI can support shoppers throughout longer journeys while maintaining continuity between sessions.
When users sign in, the app can also draw upon their saved Pins and Boards, allowing it to generate responses that reflect their existing tastes, preferences, and interests.
Pinterest believes the insights gathered through Ask Pinterest will ultimately help shape future AI-powered features across its flagship application, strengthening its broader discovery ecosystem.
The debut of Ask Pinterest was accompanied by a series of updates aimed at advertisers. Among them is a new AI assistant, currently in beta within Pinterest’s U.S. Ads Manager, designed to help marketers manage campaigns more efficiently.
The company also launched Performance+ Creative, a global AI-powered model that evaluates multiple advertising creatives and selects the version most likely to achieve strong results whenever an ad is displayed. In addition, the newly announced MCP infrastructure layer will enable advertisers to manage and monitor campaigns through third-party AI agents and automation tools using a standardized framework.
Commenting on the announcement, Pinterest Chief Business Officer Lee Brown highlighted the changing nature of online discovery. He suggested that the future of search will extend beyond simple keyword matching and increasingly rely on context, personal taste, and trusted recommendations—areas where Pinterest believes its platform holds a significant competitive advantage.
For now, Ask Pinterest remains available only to a limited group of users through its web-based experience on both desktop and mobile devices as the company continues to refine the product and explore its long-term potential.
