In a groundbreaking discussion at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Phia’s co-founders, Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, unveiled how their AI-driven platform is transforming the online shopping landscape.
With over 500,000 downloads and partnerships with 5,000+ brands, Phia has emerged as a game-changer by scanning over 40,000 websites to deliver personalized deals on new and secondhand fashion.
The Rise of AI in E-Commerce
This innovation comes at a time when AI is increasingly integrated into e-commerce, with tools like Phia reducing decision fatigue by curating tailored recommendations.
Historically, online shopping relied on endless scrolling and search engine algorithms, often overwhelming consumers with irrelevant options.
Phia’s approach shifts this paradigm, leveraging AI to act as a personal shopping companion, a trend that mirrors broader industry movements toward conversational and predictive shopping experiences.
Impact on Consumers and Retailers
For consumers, Phia means smarter, faster purchases with access to one of the largest secondhand fashion datasets in the U.S., boasting over 300 million items.
Retailers, however, face new challenges as AI becomes a gatekeeper for product visibility, pushing brands to adapt to personalized, data-driven engagement strategies.
Looking ahead, experts predict a 520% growth in AI-assisted shopping during the 2025 U.S. holiday season, signaling a seismic shift in how purchases are researched and completed, as noted in recent industry reports.
The Future of Shopping with AI
The success of Phia, backed by an $8 million investment from firms like Kleiner Perkins, highlights the growing investor confidence in AI’s role in retail innovation.
As AI agents evolve, the future could see online shopping move entirely away from traditional platforms like Google or Amazon, toward seamless, conversational checkout experiences.
Phia’s founders emphasized their mission to build loyalty with Gen Z shoppers, a demographic driving much of the demand for intuitive, tech-forward solutions.
Ultimately, Phia’s story at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 underscores a pivotal moment in retail, where AI personalization and efficiency are not just trends, but the foundation of the future shopping experience.
Alfred Lee
