AI Agents that Shop & Do Tasks for You
An introduction to the new wave of AI agents that compare prices, plan shopping and handle everyday tasks for you — and how South Africans can start using them.
From the FabAcademic Unfiltered talk series — Session 5.4, 8 February 2026. (Watch / source)
A big shift is happening: AI is moving from just answering questions to actually doing tasks for you. This is what that means for your shopping and your time.
The problem
The cost of living keeps climbing, and every rand matters. The same loaf of bread, packet of nappies or school shoe can cost very different amounts at Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Boxer or your local store — but who has time to check them all? Comparing prices, hunting for specials, planning a month-end grocery run and remembering everyone's needs is a job on its own. Busy parents and working people end up overpaying simply because checking takes too long, or buying on impulse without comparing. Taxi fare and data spent driving around to compare prices can wipe out the saving anyway.
How AI solves it — real-world application
The new generation of AI "agents" can take an instruction and carry out the steps for you. Instead of just telling you something, they go and do it. In practice today you can:
- Compare prices in seconds. Ask ChatGPT, Gemini or a tool like Perplexity to compare the price of an item across South African retailers and tell you who is cheapest.
- Build a smart shopping list. Give the AI your budget and family size; it plans a month-end grocery list that fits, and swaps items for cheaper alternatives.
- Plan the errand run. Ask it to group your errands by area so you drive or travel the least.
- Watch for deals. Set it to alert you when something you want goes on special.
Full "buy-it-for-me" agents are still new and need care, but the price-checking and planning power is already very real and free to start.
Skills you'll learn
- Asking an AI agent to compare prices across SA retailers clearly.
- Building a budget-based shopping list with AI for your household.
- Planning the cheapest, shortest errand route.
- Setting up deal and price-drop alerts.
- Spotting fake "deals" and shopping scams the AI flags.
- Knowing the limits — when to trust an agent and when to check yourself.
Where to use them
- Families doing month-end and back-to-school shopping.
- Stokvels and bulk-buying groups comparing wholesale prices.
- Small shop owners sourcing stock at the best price.
- Busy professionals outsourcing errand planning.
- Caregivers managing shopping for elderly relatives.
What it can earn you (potential value)
This one mostly saves money rather than earning it directly — but the savings are real, and there is a service angle too.
As an indicative example only (not guaranteed): a family that trims 8% off a R4 500 monthly grocery bill by comparing and planning saves about R360/month, or over R4 000/year. You can also turn this into a small "personal shopper / errand-planner" service for busy or elderly neighbours — at R100 per planned shopping trip for 12 clients a month, that is roughly R1 200/month extra. Modest, honest numbers — but money kept in your pocket is money earned.
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