You can now buy things through ChatGPT with a single click - if you're one of the lucky ones

News
By published

ChatGPT is now your personal shopping assistant

ChatGPT app on an iPhone
(Image credit: NurPhoto / Getty Images)
  • OpenAI launches Instant Checkout for making purchases within ChatGPT
  • Single-item Etsy carts in the US are first, Shopify comes second
  • Other merchants and regions will also get support soon

OpenAI has revealed a new Instant Checkout feature which allows users buy directly from within the ChatGPT interface.

Initially only launching in the US, the ecommerce tool will be available for all ChatGPT personal account types, including free, Plus and Pro users, however its real-world application will be limited before gaining any momentum.

For example, day-one users will only be able to make single-item purchases from Etsy, however big changes are on the cards and Instant Checkout could become a whole lot more powerful.

ChatGPT adds Instant Checkout

OpenAI said that Shopify will be supported “soon,” which includes millions of merchants using the popular software. After that, the company has committed to supporting multi-item carts, adding more merchants and including more regions.

In the announcement, OpenAI said that product results are “organic and unsponsored, ranked purely on relevance to the user,” in a minor dig at traditional search engines like Google.

The company also noted that Instant Checkout products don’t get some sort of favoritism in results.

OpenAI makes its money by charging “a small fee” to merchants for completed purchases. The system works via the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), co-developed with Stripe and now open source, with Stripe Technology and Business President Will Gaybrick noting the emerging requirement for “re-architecting today’s commerce systems” for the AI era.

Users can choose either to pay with the card they have on file or choose a new card/express payment option, with OpenAI asserting that encrypted payment tokens are only authorized for specific amounts and merchants so they can’t be misused.

“ChatGPT helps us meet buyers where they are,” Etsy CPO/CTO Rafe Colburn concluded.

The launch comes on the back of a number of recent OpenAI updates, including its AI agent mode, which can navigate sites on the user’s behalf.

You might also like

TOPICS
Craig Hale
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.