OpenAI’s daring new ChatGPT buying functionality lets U.S. users buy things directly through conversations.
This Instant Checkout solution works with Etsy and Shopify to allow chat-based purchases. The initiative has the potential to revolutionise the online retail industry, posing a challenge to the likes of Google and Amazon by transitioning product discovery and purchasing from conventional platforms to AI-powered chatbots.
Instant Checkout brings shopping closer to users with curated recommendations, easy price comparisons, and one-tap buying. Shoppers can now buy on ChatGPT instead of search engines or enormous marketplaces.
Glossier, Skims, and Spanx will join Etsy and over one million Shopify merchants in this new purchasing environment.
Redefining online shopping with AI chatbots
The Instant Checkout feature builds on previous shopping capabilities, where ChatGPT offered product suggestions, reviews, and prices. Now, it transforms into a full-service checkout platform where buyers confirm orders and payments through options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or credit cards, all secured via OpenAI’s chat interface.
“If you are already a subscriber and using your card in ChatGPT, you won’t have to re-enter your information when purchasing,” explained an OpenAI spokesperson.
This system is powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol co-developed with Stripe, setting an open standard for AI-driven transactions.
OpenAI emphasised that product rankings remain “organic and unsponsored,” focusing solely on user relevance, not paid promotions.
Merchants pay a small fee only when a purchase is completed, contrasting with Google’s and Amazon’s traditional fee and ranking structures.
Challenging established e-commerce gatekeepers
Google and Amazon dominate product discovery and sales online, controlling visibility and fees. By using AI chatbots for retail discovery and payment, OpenAI could destabilise this business.
This frictionless experience empowers conversational AI by reducing search engine and huge e-commerce platform use.
With over 700 million ChatGPT users weekly, many already engaging in shopping queries, OpenAI’s Instant Checkout may quickly gain traction. Soon, the company will add merchants, expand multi-item carts, and expand to other locations. This breakthrough will change online buying and make OpenAI a retail powerhouse.
With this development, online buying is now firmly in the hands of conversational AI technology, marking a significant departure from traditional e-commerce.
The action taken by OpenAI may completely change how consumers search for and purchase goods in the digital age.