Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. team up
    • ex. Scientists often team up with other researchers to share ideas.
  2. e-commerce
    • ex. Many small businesses use e-commerce to sell products online instead of in physical stores.
  3. a retailer
    • ex. The food retailer buys fruits from farmers and sell them to people in the city.
  4. an inventory
    • ex. The shop manager checked the inventory to see how many items were still in the store.
  5. seamless
    • ex. The app offers a seamless shopping experience, so customers can buy items without problems.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Google said it will team up with major companies such as Walmart, Shopify, and Wayfair to add new shopping tools to its Gemini AI chatbot. The update will turn Gemini into a virtual helper that can also act like a seller. The announcement was made at a large e-commerce event for retailers in New York.

With the new feature, users can search for products and buy them without leaving the chat. For example, if a user asks what to buy for a ski trip, Gemini will suggest items from a retailer’s inventory. Customers who link their Walmart and Google accounts can get product ideas based on past purchases. Items selected through Gemini can be added to their online shopping carts.

Google is competing with other tech companies to make AI shopping more seamless. OpenAI and Amazon are also working on similar tools. Google said the new shopping feature will start in the United States and later expand to other countries. The goal is to make online shopping easier by letting people search, choose, and pay in one place.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

AI Shopping

  • The new shopping tools will turn Gemini into a virtual helper that can also act like a seller. Would you like an AI chatbot to help you shop online? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how might AI chatbots change the way people shop in the future? Discuss.
  • Do you think AI shopping will become normal in all countries in the future? Why or why not? Discuss.

Companies Teaming Up and Competing

  • Do you think it’s a good idea for Google to work with big companies like Walmart, Shopify, and Wayfair? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Google is competing with other big tech companies to make AI shopping more seamless. Do you prefer having many companies creating AI tools or just a few trusted ones? Why? Discuss.
  • What companies or businesses in your country do you think should team up (ex. fashion and technology companies)? Discuss.