ChatGPT Becomes Shopping Assistant with Instant Checkout

Artificial intelligence is expanding into the e-commerce sector. On September 29, OpenAI announced that U.S. users can now purchase products directly within the ChatGPT platform without being redirected to external websites. This move officially transforms the chatbot into an “intelligent shopping assistant,” signaling a potential challenge to existing online marketplaces.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the newly launched “Instant Checkout” feature currently supports single-item purchases. Its first wave of partners includes U.S. sellers on the handmade goods platform Etsy, as well as selected Shopify merchants. Users can browse, click, and pay directly in the ChatGPT conversation, completing the entire transaction seamlessly.

OpenAI also introduced an open-source technology standard called the “Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)”, which allows merchants to integrate their products directly into the ChatGPT environment. The company hopes this will attract more retailers and brands, broadening product offerings on the platform.

So far, global retail giants Amazon and Walmart have not adopted ACP. OpenAI stated that the platform will charge “a small transaction fee,” but specific details remain undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements with partners.

These new chips are pivotal to Tesla’s upcoming products, including the Optimus humanoid robot and the Cybercab autonomous taxi, as the company continues to strengthen its in-house semiconductor strategy to support AI-driven innovation.

As of August, OpenAI reported that ChatGPT had surpassed 700 million weekly active users, representing about 9% of the global population—an increase from 500 million in March. This vast user base is seen as a major incentive for merchants to participate.

However, Emily Pfeiffer, Principal Analyst for Commerce at research firm Forrester, warned: “While merchants may gain sales, they risk losing customer loyalty. Many retailers and brands feel anxious because these changes are happening so quickly.” In response, OpenAI emphasized that its goal is not to displace retailers but to make the Agentic Commerce Protocol a foundational infrastructure, helping merchants reach potential customers who search for related products within ChatGPT.

Source: China Times