Chrome’s New AI Feature Is Like Having a Super-Smart Shopping Friend

It reads all the reviews so you don’t have to. Here’s how it works.

You know that feeling? You’re deep down a rabbit hole online and you find it: the perfect pair of sneakers, a weirdly specific kitchen gadget, or a gift for a friend.

But it’s on a site you’ve never heard of. Something like “BestKicksOnline.store” or “Gadgetopia.biz.”

So the hesitation kicks in. You open a new tab. You search for reviews. You look for a Reddit thread. You try to figure out if it’s a legitimate business or just a clever scam that’s about to take your money and send you a cheap knockoff in six months.

I do this all the time. It’s exhausting.

But it looks like Google is trying to make that little moment of doubt a bit easier to handle. They just added a new feature to Chrome in the U.S. that uses AI to give you a quick summary of an online store.

So, What Does It Actually Do?

Basically, when you land on a product page, Chrome can now generate a short summary of what people think about the store itself.

The AI looks at things like:

• Customer reviews from across the web
• The store’s return policy
• Shipping times and reputation

It then spits out a few simple highlights. Things like “Usually ships within 2 days,” “Positive customer service,” or the one we all dread seeing: “Complicated return process.”

It’s not trying to tell you whether you should buy a specific product. It’s just giving you a vibe check on the store, so you can decide if you want to trust them with your credit card details.

Why This Is Actually Kind of Useful

Let’s be honest, most new tech features are kind of forgettable. But this one feels different. It’s a small change that solves a real, annoying problem.

For me, the benefit isn’t just about avoiding scams. It’s about saving mental energy. I don’t want to spend 20 minutes playing detective every time I want to buy something from a small, independent shop. This little summary could give me the confidence to buy from a cool new brand I just discovered.

It’s like having a friend who’s already shopped there and can give you the inside scoop. ““Oh yeah, their stuff is great, but just know that shipping takes a while.”” That’s useful information.

A Few Things I’m Wondering About

Of course, it’s not going to be perfect.

I’m curious how well the AI will handle nuance. Will it be able to tell the difference between a few angry customers and a genuinely bad business? And could a store find a way to trick the AI with fake reviews? Maybe.

But for a quick, at-a-glance gut check, it seems like a step in the right direction. It’s one of those quiet, background features that could make the internet feel just a little bit safer and less of a chore to navigate.

I haven’t seen it pop up on my browser yet, but I’m definitely going to be looking for it.

What do you think? Is this something you’d actually use?