TikTok announced Shopping Assistant and Buy Direct on October 5, 2026, at Advertising Week New York. The two features have distinct roles: Shopping Assistant is designed to guide product discovery through conversation, while Buy Direct is an in-app checkout option for purchases from brands.

Shopping Assistant guides; Buy Direct checks out

https://newsroom.tiktok.com/tiktok-unveils-ai-powered-updates-for-advertisers-driving-discovery-action-and-measurable-business-outcomes?lang=en

TikTok describes Shopping Assistant as a conversational AI guide that can understand context, remember a shopper’s needs, and answer questions about product details, shipping, sizing, and availability.

Buy Direct is a separate feature. TikTok describes it as a way to purchase directly from a brand without leaving the app, including a one-click checkout from the For You feed.

TikTok also named Salesforce, Shopify, Shoplazza, and Stripe among the providers helping build its commerce experiences.