Google's AI trial app Doppl adds a discovery channel where you can make a purchase

Google announced on Monday is launching a shopping discovery channel on Doppl, an experimental app that uses artificial intelligence to visualize how different outfits might look on you.

The tech giant says the idea behind the new channel is to display recommendations so users can discover and virtually try out new products. Almost everything in the feed is available for purchase, with direct links to sellers.

The discovery feed features AI-generated videos of real products and suggests outfits based on your personalized style. Google determines your style by analyzing the preferences you share with Doppl and the items you interact with.

The move comes after short-form video feeds, particularly on TikTok and Instagram, prompted users to scroll through visual feeds and buy what they see. However, unlike TikTok and Instagram, where real influencers showcase products, Google's new feed consists entirely of AI-generated content.

While some may not like AI-generated feeds, Google likely sees them as a way to display products in a format that people are already accustomed to. Additionally, trying a new e-commerce strategy makes sense, especially as the company continues to lose ground against the likes of Amazon and social media platforms.

It is worth noting that AI-generated videos are not new to Doppl. While the app creates images of a virtual version of you in different outfits, it can transform these static images and turn them into AI-generated videos. The purpose of this is to get a better idea of ​​how the outfit will look on you in real life.

The new discovery channel is rolling out to Doppl on iOS and Android devices in the U.S. for users 18 and older.

While a channel consisting entirely of AI-generated content would have seemed strange a year ago, the idea is now gaining popularity. For example, OpenAI in September launched Sora, a social media platform exclusively featuring AI videos. Meta also hosts a short AI-generated video feed called “Vibes” in the Meta AI app.