Yelp Unveils AI-Powered Assistant to Expand Beyond Reviews
Yelp has launched an upgraded AI assistant designed to help users search for services, ask questions, and complete tasks without leaving the app. The move marks a shift from the company’s traditional role as a review platform to a more action-oriented service hub.
Introduced initially in 2024, the AI assistant now draws on Yelp’s extensive business data to handle a wider range of requests. In demonstrations seen by TechCrunch, users were able to find dog-friendly hiking spots, locate takeout options along a route with delivery through DoorDash, book restaurant tables, and even seek advice on painting a Victorian home—all within a single conversational interface.
Akhil Kuduvalli Ramesh, Yelp’s Senior Vice President of Product, told TechCrunch that the company aims to reposition itself as an “answers and action platform” rather than just a place for reviews. “We would really like consumers to reconceive Yelp as a place where they can ask questions and get answers, not just that, but also complete the action,” he said.
The assistant is now accessible via a dedicated tab at the center of the app’s bottom navigation bar, increasing its visibility and encouraging frequent use. It is available on iOS and Android at launch, working with eligible business pages including restaurants, retail shops, and attractions. Desktop support and expansion to all business categories are planned for later this year.
Beyond information retrieval, Yelp has integrated with external providers to enable task completion. Users can order food through DoorDash and Grubhub, book fitness or beauty appointments via Vagaro, arrange doctor visits through ZocDoc, and schedule car repairs with RepairPal. A Calendly integration is also offered for businesses that allow appointment booking.
While these integrations currently redirect users to external apps or websites, Kuduvalli suggested this may change in the future, hinting at the potential for more “agentic” functionality where transactions could be completed entirely within the chat.
Additional updates include AI-powered natural language search within business media galleries, AI-driven tagging and grouping for before-and-after photos uploaded by business owners, and an enhanced menu-scanning feature that displays user-posted dish photos directly within the app.
The evolution reflects a broader industry trend toward embedding AI assistants within consumer platforms to keep users engaged while expanding service offerings. For Yelp, the strategy positions the company to compete more directly with other digital marketplaces by combining trusted local business data with conversational AI capabilities.
