October 2025: AI assistants start shopping, and product data becomes the priority
Covers October 2025. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.
Quick answer: By October 2025 AI assistants, including ChatGPT and Google’s AI features, could line up products side by side, sum up what reviews said and sometimes help a shopper finish the purchase. For UK businesses selling online, complete and accurate product data became the starting point for showing up in AI shopping and in Google Shopping.
This matters beyond big retailers. A plumbing merchant with a web shop, a garage selling tyres online or a garden business selling paving and sleepers all depend on the same thing: the assistant has to understand exactly what you sell, what it costs and whether it is in stock.
What changed in October 2025?
Over the course of 2025, both OpenAI and Google added more shopping features to their AI products. These included more detailed product comparisons and, in some markets, early options to check out without leaving the chat.
Why was this important for UK businesses?
AI assistants depend on product information that is structured and consistent. If a feed had gaps, identifiers were missing or prices did not match across sources, a business risked being skipped when the assistant made its recommendations, just as the busy pre-Christmas period was approaching.
For a local firm that sells a few hundred lines online, the same rule applies. A tyre listing without the size, load rating and price clearly stated is far less likely to be picked up than one where every detail is filled in.
What to do about it now
- Fill in your product feed fully, including GTINs, full attributes, current prices and how many you have in stock.
- Make sure your product pages, structured data and Merchant Center all say exactly the same thing.
- State returns, delivery and warranty terms clearly on every product page, plus any fitting or installation options.
Frequently asked questions
Does Merchant Center data feed AI assistants?
Google’s AI features use Shopping data. Other assistants rely on their own sources, which is why the information on your website and your structured markup matter as well.
Which product details matter most?
Correct product titles and identifiers, up-to-date prices and availability, good images, reviews, and the main specifications a buyer would look for.
Sources and further reading
Want help with this? Our Google Ads service covers Shopping feeds and product data for local businesses that sell online. Get in touch.
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