In brief
- •OpenAI integrates an instant purchase feature in ChatGPT.
- •Users can now make purchases directly via the chatbot interface.
- •This evolution transforms ChatGPT into an intelligent commercial assistant.
AI: A new era for conversational commerce
OpenAI has just taken a step that could reshape the contours of e-commerce: the integration of instant purchase directly into ChatGPT, despite the complaint filed by xAI. Users no longer need to click links or open new pages. Everything now happens at the heart of the conversation. This simplicity radically transforms the shopping experience, making commerce as seamless as exchanging messages.
The initiative first targets the American market, with strong partnerships. Etsy sellers are already accessible, and more than one million Shopify merchants will follow. Mainstream brands like Glossier or SKIMS are among the first to test this new channel. ChatGPT users, whether free, Plus, or Pro versions, will thus be able to turn a simple request into an instant purchase.
This choice is not solely aimed at improving customer experience. It is also a new growth lever for OpenAI, which adds a source of transactional revenue to its subscription model.
Impact on merchants and stock market dynamics
For merchants, the integration represents a unique opportunity. Direct access to ChatGPT users, without going through external sites, opens the door to more engaging and better-targeted commerce. In return, OpenAI will charge fees on sales made through its artificial intelligence. Good news for customers: these fees will have no impact on final prices.
Financial markets quickly reacted. Etsy shares jumped more than 7%, while Shopify’s gained 4.5% after the announcement. Investors seem to have grasped that this shift towards transactional AI could expand the buyer base and strengthen customer loyalty.
Rafe Colburn, Etsy’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, emphasized the strategic importance of this shift. According to him, agentive purchases, made by or with AI assistance, are no longer a futuristic promise but a reality already shaping mobile experience and online commerce.
An open protocol and global outlook
Behind this integration, a detail deserves attention. OpenAI announced that its agentic commerce protocol would be open. Developed in partnership with Stripe, this technical foundation allows for secure and fast payment management. By opening it, OpenAI sends a strong signal: it is not only about locking down an ecosystem but about fostering the emergence of a conversational commerce standard.
In the short term, instant purchase is limited to single items. But the roadmap is clear: multi-item carts, expansion to other regions, and opening to more merchants. If adoption follows, ChatGPT could become much more than an intelligent assistant, a true universal marketplace integrated with natural language.
The line between search, conversation, and transaction is gradually fading. With this advance, and the challenge launched to LinkedIn, OpenAI is not just perfecting AI: the company is transforming how we consume and interact with online commerce.