Cart Assistant is an AI-powered feature that helps you plan meals, discover recipes, and build your shopping list through a simple conversation.
You can ask Cart Assistant things like—
- “Show me high protein snacks.”
- “Give me a quick pasta recipe.”
- “Create a grocery list for taco night.”
Based on your request, Cart Assistant can suggest recipes, recommend products, and help you add items to your cart.
At Instacart, we’re committed to incorporating AI features into our products responsibly to make it easier to discover ideas and shop for the foods you love.
Cart Assistant isn’t available to everyone at this time.
Where to find Cart Assistant
You can find Cart Assistant in the Instacart app or on the website.
In-app—
- Select a store to shop.
- In the search bar at the top of the store’s landing page, select the green diamond icon.
- From there, you can start a conversation and ask questions about meals, recipes, or groceries while you shop.
On the website—
- Select a store to shop.
- On the left-hand sidebar of the store’s landing page, select Cart Assistant.
- From there, you can start a conversation and ask questions about meals, recipes, or groceries while you shop.
How Cart Assistant works
Cart Assistant uses generative AI to help power parts of your shopping experience. When you chat with Cart Assistant, you can—
- Plan meals: Get meal ideas for the week based on your tastes, dietary preferences, or cooking time.
- Discover recipes: Find recipes and see suggested ingredients that can be added to your cart.
- Create shopping lists: Turn meal ideas or recipes into a list of items you can shop for.
- Explore products: Browse suggested products that match your requests.
You’ll be informed when you’re interacting with an AI-powered feature.
Keep in mind
Cart Assistant is designed to help you explore ideas and simplify shopping, but there are a few things to keep in mind.
AI responses may not always be accurate
AI technology is still evolving and responses may sometimes be incomplete, incorrect, or outdated. Responses may not always reflect current Instacart policies or views.
If something is important to your purchase or decision, please verify the information independently. Suggestions and information provided by Cart Assistant are for reference only. Always review product details and confirm items meet your needs before placing an order.
Product information may change
Product details can vary by store and location, including price, availability, ingredients, nutrition information, and promotions.
Packaging and product pages during checkout are the most accurate sources for product information. Prices shown in recommendations may be estimates and may not include taxes, fees, or promotions.
Recommendations can vary
Cart Assistant recommendations may change based on things like—
- Store inventory
- Delivery timing
- Order size
- Your location
- Other real-time marketplace conditions
Because of this, suggested items may not always be available when you shop.
Health, nutrition, and food safety information
Information about ingredients, nutrition, allergens, or dietary suitability, and food safety is provided for reference only.
Always review the product packaging for the most accurate and complete information. If you have food allergies, dietary restrictions, or health concerns, consult a qualified professional. Cart Assistant responses should not be used as medical advice. Never share personally sensitive or protected health information.
Helping us improve
Your interactions with Cart Assistant may be used to help improve AI features over time. We review feedback and system performance so we can continue making the experience more helpful and reliable.