The news: Google is planning a Pinterest-esque feature to simplify shopping for users and provide visual recommendations, per The Information. The tool is expected to be unveiled at next week’s annual I/O developer conference.

• The feature will display image-based results tied to search queries, with suggestions related to fashion, interior design, and creative projects—for example, outfit ideas or craft and DIY ideas.
• Users can save images into “folders” similar to Pinterest boards for inspiration and planning.

Competition in the field: Last month, former Gemini vice president and general manager Sissie Hsiao said that ChatGPT mostly affects searches for homework and math. However, it’s “inevitable” that AI search will cannibalize Google’s share of commercial queries.

• Commercial queries, which are searches made by users actively making or considering purchases, are a major driver of Google’s ad revenues.
• As AI apps like Perplexity and ChatGPT add shopping features and autonomous browser agents that can execute online orders, Google’s grip on commercial queries could be under threat.

Path to discovery: Pinterest’s value as a content discovery engine and its influence on search behavior could be why Google sees it as a model worth copying, even if it doesn’t compete on the same level as Google Search.

• 39% of consumers use Pinterest as a search engine, per Adobe.
• 36% of all consumers, and 39% of Gen Zers, start searches on Pinterest rather than Google.

Other announcements: Google is also expected to unveil new AI integrations at I/O, including Gemini’s chatbot for Android XR glasses and headsets and the Gemini Live voice assistant for Chrome. Embedding Gemini in more products could help justify Google’s AI spending and boost interest in its hardware.

Our take: Considering consumers’ high interest in design inspiration and product recommendations, Google could stand to benefit from replicating Pinterest’s personalized results and visual-first content.

As for Pinterest, this is both a validation of its platform model and a moment to double down on search options and creator features to maintain its competitive edge.

This content is part of EMARKETER’s subscription Briefings, where we pair daily updates with data and analysis from forecasts and research reports. Our Briefings prepare you to start your day informed, to provide critical insights in an important meeting, and to understand the context of what’s happening in your industry. Non-clients can click here to get a demo of our full platform and coverage.