OpenAI Transforms ChatGPT into a Personal Shopping Assistant

OpenAI has officially launched a powerful new shopping assistant feature within ChatGPT, turning the popular AI chatbot into a personalized digital shopper. With the release of the Shopping Research tool in November 2025, users can now receive tailored buyer’s guides, compare products, and even make purchases, all within a single conversational thread.

How ChatGPT Shopping Research Works

ChatGPT’s shopping assistant feature is designed to act like a tireless personal shopper. When you ask for help finding a product, ChatGPT doesn’t just answer your question, it actively researches the web, reviews product pages, analyzes reviews, and synthesizes up-to-date information to deliver a personalized buyer’s guide. This guide includes top product recommendations, key differences, trade-offs, and direct links to retailers.

• The feature is powered by a specialized variant of GPT-5 mini, trained specifically for shopping tasks using reinforcement learning.
• It asks clarifying questions to better understand your needs and preferences.
• Results are updated in real time, incorporating new constraints and feedback as you interact.
• Available on both web and mobile for all logged-in users, including Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans.

Real-Time Product Recommendations and Catalog Integration

ChatGPT’s shopping assistant leverages connected product catalogs from major e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Walmart, and Etsy. This integration allows the AI to provide real-time product suggestions, complete with images, descriptions, prices, and direct purchase links. The system is designed to be a seamless “real-time product recommendation ecosystem,” ensuring that users always see the latest available options.

• Product recommendations are organic and unsponsored, ranked purely on relevance.
• Merchants can send their product catalogs to ChatGPT through programs like Adsmurai Feeds, ensuring their products are included in shopping guides.
• The assistant can compare products, analyze reviews, and create customized shopping guides for each user.

Instant Checkout: Buying Directly in Chat

While most purchases currently direct users to merchant websites, OpenAI has introduced Instant Checkout for select merchants. This feature allows users to complete purchases entirely within the ChatGPT interface, without leaving the chat. Instant Checkout is currently available for U.S. Etsy sellers and is rolling out to over a million Shopify merchants, with plans to expand to more platforms and regions.

• Users can tap “Buy” on supported products, confirm their order, shipping, and payment details, and complete the purchase in just a few taps.
• Orders, payments, and fulfillment are handled by the merchant using their existing systems; ChatGPT acts as a secure agent, passing information between user and merchant.
• Merchants pay a small fee on completed purchases, but the service is free for users and does not affect product rankings.

The Future of AI-Powered Shopping

OpenAI’s vision is to make ChatGPT a standalone sales channel, capable of managing the entire shopping journey from research to purchase. The company plans to expand Instant Checkout to more merchants and regions, add multi-item carts, and continue improving the assistant’s ability to understand user preferences and deliver personalized recommendations.

• The ultimate goal is for ChatGPT to function as a new sales channel, managed like any marketplace, with product feeds connected to internal inventory systems.
• As AI shopping assistants become more sophisticated, they are poised to rival established e-commerce platforms and transform the way consumers shop online.

Conclusion

OpenAI’s new shopping assistant feature in ChatGPT represents a significant leap forward in AI-powered e-commerce. By combining comprehensive research, real-time product recommendations, and seamless checkout, ChatGPT is evolving into a one-stop shopping destination that could reshape the future of online retail. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift or researching your next big purchase, ChatGPT is now your go-to digital shopping assistant.