AI chatbots sometimes point shoppers to fake retail websites, study finds

A new study suggests that people using AI chatbots to research products or locate where to buy them may be steered toward imposter and otherwise risky sites. Intellectual property protection firm Podqi conducted the research and shared it exclusively with The Verge. Researchers asked ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity a set of shopping-related questions about 151 brands, such as where to buy a product online or whether a brand ships internationally. The testing took place across two periods in September and covered both small and large companies. The findings highlight the risks consumers face when relying on AI-generated shopping recommendations.