Pinterest on Wednesday announced a new experimental application, ‘Ask Pinterest’, aimed at exploring a more conversational approach to shopping and product discovery.
According to TechCrunch, the company had also unveiled a series of artificial intelligence initiatives, including Pinterest Model Context Protocol (MCP) for advertisers and new AI-powered advertising tools.
The announcement came ahead of the annual Cannes Lions gathering, where the advertising technology industry is placing significant focus on the role of artificial intelligence in marketing and advertising.
Ask Pinterest allows the company to make greater use of its ‘Taste Graph’, an internal system that maps users to their interests, preferences and aesthetic choices.
Initially available to a limited number of users, the application offers a chatbot-style experience in which people can ask questions in natural language and receive personalised recommendations and inspiration.
The platform is designed to extend Pinterest’s visual discovery experience beyond its main application and support more detailed or multi-step queries that may not suit a traditional search format.
Users may seek assistance with tasks such as planning a dinner party or furnishing a room over an extended period, while the system retains context across different sessions.
When signed in, users can also receive personalised responses based on their saved Pins and Boards.
Pinterest said the experimental application would help the company develop future AI-powered experiences for its flagship platform.
The launch comes as AI chatbots continue to compete with traditional search engines for consumer attention. Technology companies have increasingly introduced AI-driven shopping and discovery tools to improve online search and purchasing experiences.
Alongside the new application, Pinterest announced updates for advertisers, including an AI assistant, currently in beta testing in the United States, within its Ads Manager platform.
The company also introduced Performance+ Creative, a global AI model designed to help advertisers identify the most effective advertising creative for each campaign impression.
Pinterest said its new MCP infrastructure would enable advertisers to manage and monitor campaigns through third-party AI tools using a standardised framework.
Chief Business Officer Lee Brown said future online discovery would rely on context, personal taste and trusted recommendations in addition to keywords, adding that Pinterest holds a strong position in that area.
Ask Pinterest is currently available to a limited number of users through both mobile and desktop web access.
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