OpenAI adds instant purchases to ChatGPT, directly challenging Google

New Delhi: OpenAI has introduced "Instant Checkout," a feature that allows users to make purchases directly within ChatGPT conversations. This marks OpenAI’s foray into e-commerce and poses a direct threat to established players like Google Shopping and Amazon. 

The move transforms the AI chatbot into a shopping assistant, enabling users to search, compare, and buy products without leaving the app.

Available to all US-based ChatGPT users across Free, Plus, and Pro tiers, Instant Checkout launches with support for Etsy sellers, allowing single-item purchases. 

Expansion to over one million Shopify merchants, including brands like Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx, and Vuori, is slated for the coming months, with plans to add multi-item carts in the future. 

The feature is powered by the newly open-sourced Agentic Commerce Protocol, co-developed with payment processor Stripe, which facilitates secure, AI-driven transactions.

"ChatGPT already helps millions of people find what to buy. Now it can help them buy it too," OpenAI stated in its announcement, highlighting partnerships with Etsy, Shopify, and Stripe. 

Users can tap a "Buy" button for supported products, confirm details like shipping and payment, and complete the transaction seamlessly within the chat interface. This integration aims to streamline the shopping experience, potentially disrupting traditional search-to-purchase flows dominated by Google.

The launch has already impacted markets, with Etsy's stock surging 16% following the news, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the enhanced exposure to AI-driven commerce. Shopify shares also rose in response to the upcoming integration. 

Industry observers note that this position opens up for OpenAI to capture a slice of the lucrative e-commerce sector, where AI agents could handle increasingly complex tasks like personalised recommendations and negotiations.