OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT with New Shopping Features, Transforming It Into a Comprehensive Shopping Assistant
OpenAI has announced the rollout of new commerce features for its ChatGPT chatbot, turning it into a powerful shopping assistant. These features, which began rolling out on April 28, 2025, aim to streamline the shopping experience by allowing users to find, compare, and buy products more efficiently. This move is part of a broader trend where AI is increasingly being integrated into the shopping process, as seen with initiatives from Google and Perplexity.
New Features in ChatGPT
The new features in ChatGPT include improved product results, visual product details, pricing, reviews, and direct links to purchase items. These enhancements are available to Plus, Pro, Free, and logged-out users, ensuring a wide reach. According to OpenAI, the rollout will take a few days to complete, and product results are chosen independently, not as advertisements. This development underscores OpenAI’s commitment to enhancing user experience through AI technology.
In addition to these shopping features, OpenAI has also improved the search functionality within ChatGPT. Over the past week, the platform has seen over 1 billion web searches, highlighting its growing popularity. New improvements include the ability to send WhatsApp messages to ChatGPT for real-time answers and live sports scores, multiple citations for verification, and trending searches with autocomplete suggestions to speed up the search process.
AI’s Role in Shopping
The integration of AI into shopping is not new but is becoming increasingly sophisticated. During the holiday season, generative AI tools like ChatGPT played a significant role in helping consumers find products and deals more efficiently. Retailers reported significant traffic growth from AI-powered searches, indicating a shift from traditional search engines and highlighting AI’s role in driving online retail engagement.
Google, for instance, introduced new immersive shopping features in March 2025, using AI to enhance how consumers shop for fashion and beauty products. The platform leverages its AI models and Shopping Graph to streamline the process of finding products that match personal styles. Similarly, Perplexity launched an AI-powered shopping assistant in the U.S. in November 2024, allowing shoppers to research and purchase products directly through its platform, Buy With Pro.
Industry Trends and Future Prospects
The trend of integrating AI into shopping is part of a larger movement towards personalized and efficient consumer experiences. Companies like Amazon and Walmart have also been investing in AI to improve their shopping platforms, with features like personalized recommendations and voice shopping becoming more common.
Looking forward, the potential for AI in shopping is vast. As AI technologies continue to evolve, we can expect even more sophisticated features, such as virtual try-ons, real-time price comparisons, and predictive shopping lists based on consumer behavior. The integration of AI into shopping not only enhances the consumer experience but also provides businesses with valuable data to optimize their operations and marketing strategies.
Key Takeaways
OpenAI’s new shopping features for ChatGPT mark a significant step in the integration of AI into the shopping experience. By providing users with improved product results, visual details, and direct purchase links, ChatGPT is set to become a go-to shopping assistant. This development is part of a broader trend where AI is transforming how consumers shop, as seen with initiatives from Google and Perplexity. As AI technology continues to advance, the future of shopping looks increasingly personalized and efficient.
OpenAI’s new shopping features, Google’s immersive shopping features, and Perplexity’s AI-powered shopping assistant are all indicative of the growing role of AI in enhancing the shopping experience.
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