For all its convenience, online shopping walks a fine line between consumer ease and digital fatigue. The Middle East’s fashion-savvy, mobile-first generation may have embraced the shift from physical to online, but the overwhelming choice – of endless tabs, contradictory sizing and unreliable filters – has turned what should be a seamless experience into something universally stressful.
Enter ChatGPT’s new Shopping Assistant, a recently launched tool that promises to take the pain out of it all by reducing the sprawl of the internet into a neat, curated shortlist.
Typing in the prompt: "Find the perfect white shirt in UAE for a woman on a budget" into the blank space of ChatGPT's page feels a little strange, but it quickly offers photographs of models to humanise the experience. Within seconds, it serves up prices and links from the likes of Matalan, VogaCloset, Sun & Sand Sports, Amazon and Zara.
A request for “eco-friendly, same-day delivery” leads to a more limited line-up of Splash Fashions, Centrepoint and The Giving Movement. It does highlight sustainable cotton and linen, but misses out on recycled fabrics and more progressive alternatives to water-hungry cotton. It’s a thoughtful list, if not fully comprehensive.
I ask next what makes a well-fitting shirt, and the assistant responds with unexpected specifics – shoulder seams should sit precisely where the shoulder ends; if buttons gape, size up or seek bust darts. For a streamlined tuck, the shirt length should hit the hips. This is not just online shopping, it’s digital styling advice.
Next, I pose a question to unearth a possible monetary bias: Does ChatGPT make money if I buy something it suggests? The reply is an emphatic no. “ChatGPT, including me, your Shopping Assistant, does not make money from online shopping. I don’t earn commissions, affiliate fees, or get paid by any retailers for recommending products.”
While this sounds reassuring, ChatGPT is too new for any data suggesting otherwise. Open AI was originally launched in 2015 as an open access platform, but a decade later and it makes its money through data partnerships. It is too early to know if this includes fashion brands, or will in the future.
I ask about shirts for taller frames and received an informative reply about how “regular” fits from Zara and Winifred Mills tend to suit longer limbs. It also offers more styling tips, such as boxy cuts should be balanced with fitted bottoms. When I type the deliberately vague “how to find jeans that fit”, it translates my size into denim measurements and recommends sit-tests and rise heights depending on my shape. Not exactly revolutionary, but solid advice nonetheless.
Then there’s the age-old puzzle: “Is a UK size 12 at Zara the same as a UK size 12 at H&M?” The response is familiar: Zara runs small, H&M is erratic, but then, oddly, the assistant provides a sizing chart suggesting the exact opposite; Zara’s size 12 is actually larger than H&M’s. The lesson? AI has blind spots, and it's up to us to double-check. There is a reason why it footnotes every page with the caveat that it "can make mistakes. Check important information."
Still, the assistant proves its worth in unexpected ways. My search for second-hand men’s suits in Dubai proffers the usual suspects - Dubizzle and The Luxury Closet - but also Preloved Outlet DXB, a previously unknown gem. It’s these small discoveries that make the tool feel less robotic and more like a resourceful friend.
Does it do everything? Certainly not. But for those happy to ask detailed questions, it offers a shortcut through the digital sprawl
Sarah Maisey
After 15 minutes, I’ve amassed a surprisingly large dossier of shirts, jeans and sustainability pointers, none of which replace trying on clothes, of course. But as fewer of us brave fluorescent changing rooms, the ability to sift through endless online options feels like the future.
Does it do everything? Certainly not. But for those happy to ask detailed questions, it offers a shortcut through the digital sprawl. Sizing comparisons are straightforward, the hyperlinks are simple and the tone is jargon-free.
In a world overwhelmed with choice, ChatGPT’s new assistant feels less like another shopping gimmick and more like the future of fashion retail – quietly efficient, gently opinionated and – most importantly – always online.
SPECS
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The five pillars of Islam
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
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if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
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Sand storm
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Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
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- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
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