Perplexity wants to help you shop

In 2014, a man was fined for pretending to be a ghost in a cemetery. A 24-year-old in Portsmouth thought it’d be funny to commit some hauntings. Apparently, that’s a crime.

What’s in store:

• Perplexity has a new shopping feature.

• The future of warehouses is humans and robots working side by side.

• Around the Web: Nike unveils its first 3D-printed shoe, the Air Max 1000.

• Learn to build your first AI business!

Read Time: 5 minutes

PERPLEXITY

AI shopping assistants are here - would you use one?

Perplexity has introduced a shopping feature for its U.S. paid subscribers.

This new tool allows users to receive product recommendations directly within search results and make purchases without visiting a retailer’s website.

Checkout is as simple as one click with stored payment and address details.

Pro subscribers even get free shipping (Perplexity... Prime?).

The suggestions are not sponsored, but based on your searches.

Users can search by typing or uploading a photo, combining text and images to find what they need, similar to Google’s visual search.

Products are shown on visual cards with details like price, seller, pros and cons, and reviews.

Merchants providing more data to Perplexity are more likely to appear in these recommendations, but the company doesn’t take a cut from purchases.

Here’s what you should know:

• Users can save payment details for quick purchases and get free shipping with Pro subscriptions.

• Search by photo or text, with recommendations powered by Shopify and other integrations.

• Perplexity aims to challenge giants like Google and Amazon while ensuring unbiased results.

Shop smarter, not harder

While AI-powered shopping tools like Amazon’s Rufus and Google’s updated Shopping tab are already gaining traction, startups are also entering the space.

The challenge remains to ensure these tools are trustworthy and unbiased, addressing potential concerns before regulators step in.

My wallet is in trouble.

Vote for live results and see results + opinions from yesterday at the bottom of the email.

BUILD A BUSINESS

How To Build Your First AI Business From Scratch

See exactly which AI tools Next Wave hosts Matt Wolfe and Nathan Lands would use to build an AI-powered business from the ground up.

In this 40-minute episode, learn how to:

• Build a profitable newsletter business using AI

• Get real user insights on AI tools including Perplexity, Claude, and Mixo

• Bundle media properties for maximum monetization

• Validate business ideas with AI-powered market research

On This Day

November 19th 1994 - The first National Lottery draw is held in the United Kingdom.

That’s Weird

AI granny that outscams the scammers

Scammers, beware! There’s an “AI Granny” here coming to waste your time. U.K. mobile network O2 has launched Daisy, an AI chatbot designed to ramble endlessly about knitting, family, and fake bank details, keeping fraudsters stuck on pointless calls.

Genius right?!

Developed with help from scambaiting YouTuber Jim Browning, Daisy uses AI models to hold convincingly boring conversations. While it’s not available for public use —sadly, O2 got its own numbers onto scammer call lists to let Daisy work her magic. During International Fraud Awareness Week, Daisy reportedly kept scammers talking for up to 40 minutes—time they couldn’t spend targeting real people.

ROBOTS

Humans and robots work together with Carter Pro

Robust AI’s Carter Pro robot is changing how people and robots work together in warehouses.

What sets it apart is how users can interact with it.

Unlike many robots, Carter Pro can be moved manually and responds to human touch, making it safer and more adaptable in shared workspaces.

The future of work:

• Carter Pro is designed for safe human-robot interaction, with manual mobility and touch responsiveness.

• Robust AI is building a broad client base, reducing reliance on large customers like DHL.

• The robot uses cameras instead of lidar, providing cost-effective and flexible navigation.

The handlebar that changes everything

Safety is a big focus. Sharing spaces with machines comes with risk, as decades of forklift-related injuries show.

Carter Pro addresses this with features like a single-handed control handlebar, offering more precision and ease of use.

Robots AI is also careful about its partnerships. While DHL is a key client, the company avoids depending too much on any one customer.

This strategy protects the startup from risks seen by other robotics firms.

Another standout feature is its use of cameras instead of lidar for navigation.

Cameras are cheaper and work better in busy warehouses, making Carter Pro a practical choice for many businesses.

Carter Pro isn’t just another robot— it’s a set forward in creating safer, smarter collaboration between people and machines.

Robot colleagues, coming soon.

Mindstream Picks

Space: The Exploration Company secured $160 million in Series B funding, led by Balderton Capital and Plural, to develop a cargo spacecraft for future commercial space stations.

Crypto: XRP surges 4%, hitting a three-year high after a weekend rally.

Games: Square Enix has postponed the release of Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, originally set for 2024, to an unspecified date.

Don’t Miss: Nike’s Air Max 1000, revealed at ComplexCon, is its first shoe which is made almost entirely with 3D printing and features a contoured design and flexible materials. Limited to 1,000 pairs for preorder, Nike hasn’t announced wider availability or pricing, but similar 3D-printed designs cost $150-$400.

AI Art

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Yesterday’s Poll

“Do AI tools like FACTS make sports analytics more exciting or just... extra?”

Absolutely, it’s a game-changer. - 60% ✅

Nope, keep it old school. - 40%

Your Views:

“If we have NIL and the Portal, why not do some different things with the presentation of sports. Sounds like it could be fun ..... and people can take as much or little of it as they desire. Innovation is a good thing.” - ckeati

“This is great innovation! Well done. Can't wait to try FACTS. Would love to have Vin Scully come back and announce games. Or John Madden or Merv Albert. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!” - lincol

Submit your opinions in our daily poll to be featured!