Instacart Launches Clementine for AI-Powered Custom Shopping Carts

Key Takeaways

1Instacart launches Clementine, an AI shopping assistant available in the United States and Canada

2The tool transforms requests, lists, or recipes into ready-to-buy carts, including from photos

3Clementine tailors its suggestions to dietary preferences and highlights promotions and cheaper alternatives

4Uber Eats and DoorDash already offer similar assistants

Why it matters : Delivery apps are looking to become platforms for grocery and meal planning, beyond just delivery.

Instacart has launched Clementine, a conversational shopping assistant available in the United States and Canada. The tool creates shopping carts based on requests, lists, or recipes, personalizes its suggestions, and highlights promotions and cheaper alternatives. Uber Eats and DoorDash have already introduced similar assistants.

Clementine is available in the United States and Canada

Clementine is accessible to Instacart customers in the United States and Canada. Chris Rogers, CEO of Instacart, states that the company has spent nearly 15 years learning how families shop and eat, and that the assistant leverages this knowledge. The tool highlights relevant offers and promotions and can suggest lower-cost alternatives.

The assistant creates carts from conversations, recipes, and lists

Clementine allows users to convert a conversation, a shopping list, or a recipe into a ready-to-purchase cart. Users have the option to import a photo of a handwritten list or a screenshot of a digital list to have it transformed into a cart. According to Instacart, the assistant can also suggest recipes from trusted publishers or generate custom ones.

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Natural requests, dietary preferences, and budget constraints

According to Instacart, the tool helps decide on meals, simplifies shopping, and adheres to a budget. It accepts natural language requests such as “I need a week of budget-friendly lunches for kids,” “Easy, protein-rich dinners for two,” or “Order my usual products.” Recommendations adapt to the household's preferences, including gluten-free, vegetarian, nut-free, or organic options.

Uber Eats and DoorDash have already launched AI assistants

Uber Eats and DoorDash also have assistants capable of transforming natural language requests and lists into personalized carts. Instacart joins this trend with the launch of Clementine. Chris Rogers emphasizes that many families wonder each evening what they will eat and presents this issue as a target for the service.