Apple has updated the Apple Store app’s privacy policy with references to a new virtual shopping assistant, hinting that the company is preparing an AI-powered chatbot for the app. While the feature has not yet been released, the updated policy offers the clearest indication so far that Apple is working on an AI assistant designed to help customers shop for Apple products.
The revised privacy policy also explains how conversations with the assistant will be handled, what information Apple may collect, and how chat transcripts could be stored and used.
Privacy policy reveals how the assistant could work
According to the updated policy, users will be able to chat directly with the virtual shopping assistant inside the Apple Store app.
To deliver more personalized responses, Apple says it may process information including Apple Account details, device identifiers, carrier information, chat history, and, if enabled, location data.
Apple also states that chat transcripts will be saved, allowing users to revisit previous conversations. With a user’s permission, the company may use those conversations to improve the assistant over time. In addition, aggregated and de-identified conversation data may be analyzed for business insights and service improvements.
One particularly notable detail is Apple’s statement that chat data may be shared with its “partners” after personally identifiable information has been removed.
According to the policy, those partners use the data solely to help Apple generate conversational responses. While Apple does not identify the companies involved or explain the underlying technology, the wording suggests the assistant could rely, at least in part, on third-party AI models or infrastructure.
The feature hasn’t rolled out yet
Despite the new privacy policy language, the virtual shopping assistant is not currently available in the Apple Store app.
As a result, Apple has not announced when the feature will begin rolling out or whether it will launch first in select regions or for a limited group of users.
Apple has followed a similar rollout strategy before. Earlier, the company introduced an AI-powered assistant in the Apple Support app, initially making it available only to a limited number of users before expanding access more broadly.
Although Apple has yet to officially announce the shopping assistant, the updated privacy policy strongly suggests the feature is already in development and could arrive in a future update to the Apple Store app.
Would you use an AI assistant to help compare and choose Apple products, or do you still prefer browsing the Apple Store on your own? Let us know in the comments below.
