Instacart uses AI vision to solve out-of-stock grocery frustrations, satiate consumers

Instacart‘s new AI vision technology aims to solve a persistent grocery shopping frustration: out-of-stock items. By combining computer vision and predictive algorithms, the company is creating a more accurate real-time inventory system that benefits both shoppers and delivery workers. These innovations represent a significant advancement in how e-commerce platforms bridge the gap between digital shopping interfaces and physical store realities.

How it works: Instacart’s new Store View feature uses AI and computer vision to analyze footage of store shelves taken by delivery workers to identify what products are currently available.

• Eligible Instacart Shoppers can earn additional income by filming store aisles, creating an incentive system that benefits both shoppers and the platform.
• The collected footage feeds Instacart’s predictive models that use historical data to forecast when out-of-stock items will return to shelves.

Key details: Store View will initially launch with select retailers in the coming weeks before expanding across the US and Canada throughout 2025.

• Instacart plans to eventually integrate this technology with its Caper Carts, AI-powered smart carts that will include outward-facing cameras for more frequent inventory updates.
• The company is also introducing a Second Store Check feature that allows shoppers to quickly verify if an out-of-stock item is available at a nearby location.

Why this matters: Out-of-stock items represent one of the most frustrating aspects of online grocery shopping, leading to order modifications, substitutions, and customer dissatisfaction.

• By providing more accurate inventory information, Instacart aims to reduce order cancellations and increase customer satisfaction with more reliable service.
• The system creates a data feedback loop where each shopper interaction improves the accuracy of the entire marketplace.

The big picture: Instacart is addressing a fundamental e-commerce challenge by creating a real-time digital representation of physical store inventory.

• This technology bridges the gap between online shopping interfaces and the reality of what’s available on store shelves.
• Both features are scheduled to roll out across Instacart’s marketplace in the coming months.