Pinterest adds AI features to boards for shopping and personalization

Pinterest announced significant updates to its core boards feature on October 27, 2025, introducing artificial intelligence capabilities designed to transform how users organize and discover content on the platform. The social media company plans to roll out these features globally over the coming months.

The updated boards will include three new tabs based on content users have previously saved. A "Make it yours" tab targets fashion and certain home decor boards, offering product recommendations and content to help users implement their saved ideas. The "More ideas" tab provides related Pin suggestions for other categories including beauty, recipes, and art. An "All saves" tab maintains access to previously saved Pins. Users can access these tabs when viewing boards from their profiles.

"Boards are central to what makes Pinterest an inspirational experience for our users, so we're investing in making them even better," Vicky Gkiza, VP of Product Management, stated in the announcement. "Today's updates make boards into a personal shopping assistant, powered by AI, to help users move from admiring their dream styles or spaces to actively achieving them."

The platform has emerged as a significant player in visual discovery and shopping. Pinterest launched Top of Search adson September 25, 2025, allowing advertisers to reach users at critical discovery moments with 29% higher click-through rates compared to standard campaigns. These developments indicate the company's strategy to position boards as more than organizational tools—they're becoming shopping destinations.

Testing styled collages in North America

Pinterest is experimenting with a feature called "Styled for you" exclusively in the United States and Canada. This functionality creates dynamic AI-generated collages from fashion Pins users have saved to their boards. The tool allows users to mix and match different fashion items and accessories, enabling them to assemble and purchase complete outfits based on their established preferences.

The feature represents a shift from passive inspiration gathering to active outfit creation. By combining items users have already shown interest in, Pinterest aims to reduce the gap between discovering fashion content and making purchase decisions.

Personalized board curation

Another test feature, "Boards made for you," combines editorial curation with AI-powered recommendations to create personalized boards. These boards will appear directly in users' home feeds and inboxes, featuring shoppable content such as trending styles and weekly outfit suggestions. Pinterest plans to begin rolling out this feature in the US and Canada within the next few months.

This approach differs from traditional algorithmic content delivery by incorporating human editorial judgment alongside machine learning. The combination could potentially offer more nuanced recommendations than purely automated systems while maintaining personalization at scale.

Implications for digital advertising

The board enhancements carry significant implications for advertisers and marketers using Pinterest as a channel. By transforming boards into more dynamic, shopping-oriented environments, Pinterest is creating additional touchpoints where commercial content can reach users who have already demonstrated interest in specific categories.

The platform's focus on personalization through AI could improve conversion rates for advertisers. When users engage with boards that actively suggest products aligned with their saved content, they're encountering recommendations in a context where purchase intent may be higher than in general browsing.

Pinterest's strategy also reflects broader trends in social commerce, where platforms are integrating shopping functionality directly into discovery experiences rather than treating commerce as a separate destination. The company launched controls for AI-generated content on October 16, allowing users to adjust the amount of synthetic imagery in their feeds, indicating awareness of user concerns about AI-generated material.

Technical implementation details

The new board features rely on machine learning models trained on user behavior patterns, including which Pins individuals save, how they organize boards, and what categories receive the most engagement. The AI systems analyze these patterns to generate personalized recommendations that match established preferences while introducing new but related content.

The "Styled for you" feature requires additional computer vision capabilities to identify clothing items, accessories, and their attributes within saved images. The system must understand style compatibility, color coordination, and fashion context to create cohesive outfit suggestions from disparate saved items.

For "Boards made for you," Pinterest combines automated content curation with human oversight. This hybrid approach suggests the company recognizes limitations in fully automated systems, particularly for subjective areas like style and aesthetics where human judgment provides value.

Market context

Pinterest operates in a competitive landscape where multiple platforms vie for user attention and advertising dollars. Instagram, TikTok, and traditional e-commerce sites all compete for visual discovery and shopping activities. Pinterest's differentiation lies in its explicit focus on planning and inspiration rather than social networking.

The company reached 578 million monthly active users according to its second quarter 2025 results, with revenue growing 17% year-over-year to $998 million. While smaller than competitors like Instagram, Pinterest's user base demonstrates high intent for planning purchases and projects, making it attractive for certain advertiser categories.

These board updates specifically target fashion and home decor, two categories where Pinterest has historically shown strength. The platform's visual search capabilities and collections of aspirational content have made it particularly popular for these verticals. Generation Z users now comprise more than 50% of Pinterest's user base, with 39% preferring to start shopping searches on Pinterest rather than traditional search engines.

Regional rollout strategy

Pinterest's decision to test certain features first in the United States and Canada reflects standard platform testing practices. These markets offer large, engaged user bases with mature e-commerce infrastructure, providing optimal conditions for evaluating new shopping-focused features before broader deployment.

The global rollout of basic board enhancements—the three-tab system—will reach international users over the coming months, though Pinterest has not provided specific timing. The staggered approach allows the company to gather feedback and refine features before full-scale deployment.

Privacy and data considerations

The personalization features rely on analyzing user data, including saved Pins, board organization, and browsing patterns. Pinterest must balance recommendation accuracy with user privacy expectations, particularly as regulatory scrutiny of data practices continues across multiple jurisdictions.

The company has not detailed specific data practices for these new features in the announcement. However, the AI-powered recommendations necessarily involve processing user activity data to generate personalized suggestions.

Business model alignment

These updates align with Pinterest's advertising-driven business model. By making boards more engaging and shopping-focused, the platform potentially increases time spent on site and creates more opportunities for users to encounter sponsored content. The personalized nature of recommendations could also improve ad targeting effectiveness.

The emphasis on shoppable content and product recommendations creates natural integration points for merchant partnerships and affiliate relationships. Pinterest expanded its programmatic advertising access through Index Exchange and Criteo, broadening inventory availability across demand-side platforms. The company can potentially generate revenue through multiple channels: traditional advertising, shopping features, and transaction-related fees.

Platform evolution

The board updates represent Pinterest's latest effort to evolve its core product beyond simple image bookmarking. The platform has gradually added features like video Pins, idea Pins, and shopping capabilities over several years. These new AI-powered enhancements continue that trajectory, using emerging technologies to differentiate Pinterest's offering.

Whether users embrace the more commerce-oriented board experience remains to be seen. Some may appreciate the seamless integration of shopping tools, while others might prefer boards as purely organizational spaces. Pinterest's testing approach suggests the company is monitoring user response carefully before full commitment.

Emily Reuter, Chief Financial Officer of Instacart, joined Pinterest's board on September 18, 2025, signaling the platform's strategic focus on commerce functionality. The appointment reflected Pinterest's transformation from an inspiration platform to a comprehensive commerce destination.

Timeline

• August 20, 2025: Pinterest launches Thrift Shop feature responding to 550% growth in sustainable shopping searches
• September 18, 2025: Instacart CFO Emily Reuter joins Pinterest board amid commerce expansion focus
• September 25, 2025: Pinterest launches Top of Search ads with 29% higher click-through rates and new local inventory advertising tools
• September 26, 2025: Google Analytics adds Pinterest cost data import integration enabling automatic tracking of advertising expenses
• October 16, 2025: Pinterest introduces new controls for AI-generated content allowing users to customize feed preferences
• October 27, 2025: Pinterest announces AI-powered board upgrades with personalized tabs, "Styled for you" feature, and "Boards made for you" functionality
• Next few months (2025): Global rollout of basic board enhancements begins; "Boards made for you" launches in US and Canada

Summary

Who: Pinterest, a visual discovery platform with 578 million monthly active users, announced the updates through Vicky Gkiza, VP of Product Management.

What: Pinterest introduced AI-powered upgrades to its boards feature, including three new tabs ("Make it yours," "More ideas," and "All saves"), a "Styled for you" outfit creation tool, and "Boards made for you" personalized board curation. The features transform boards from organizational tools into personalized shopping and discovery environments.

When: The announcement came on October 27, 2025, with features rolling out globally over the next few months. Some features like "Styled for you" and "Boards made for you" are currently being tested in the United States and Canada specifically.

Where: The basic board enhancements will roll out globally to all Pinterest users. The "Styled for you" collage feature and "Boards made for you" curated boards are being tested exclusively in the United States and Canada before potential expansion.

Why: Pinterest aims to transform boards from passive inspiration collections into active shopping assistants that help users implement their saved ideas. The updates support Pinterest's business model by increasing engagement, creating more touchpoints for advertisers, and positioning the platform as a commerce destination rather than just a bookmarking tool.