OpenAI launched a shopping-research feature that turns ChatGPT into a conversational buying assistant. The tool guides users through product selection with filtered prompts, offers nearly unlimited queries throughout the holiday season, and will soon add direct checkout.
In the news. OpenAI released shopping research to both free and paid ChatGPT users on mobile and web just in time for holiday shopping. Users type a product question like "best TVs for bright rooms," then answer follow-up prompts about budget, intended use, and desired features. The AI returns a list of products with current prices and stock information from retailers, though OpenAI cautions that shopping research might make mistakes about product details like price and availability.
Why it matters. The tool changes how shoppers compare options. Rather than opening multiple browser tabs and scanning spec sheets, a single conversation handles filtering. ChatGPT can take into account previous conversations and user "memory" if that feature is turned on, along with buttons to show "more like this" or "not interested" on specific items. However, OpenAI encourages users to visit merchant sites for the most accurate details before purchasing.
What they're saying. According to OpenAI, the feature is built on a version of GPT-5 mini that has been refined specifically for shopping tasks. The system pulls product recommendations from "quality sources" on the internet containing up-to-date information like price, availability, reviews, specs, and images. Users refine their choices through a series of questions similar to the drop-down menus on most retail websites.
The bigger picture. OpenAI is not alone in trying to encourage shopping within its products. Google recently released new AI-powered shopping features in its AI Mode, and the AI agent in Perplexity's Comet browser will shop on your behalf, much to Amazon's chagrin—a trend Nilay Patel has termed "the DoorDash problem." All three platforms aim to keep shoppers inside AI environments rather than sending them to separate e-commerce sites.
What's next. OpenAI plans to roll out Instant Checkout later, which will allow direct purchasing inside ChatGPT with participating merchants using a one-click Buy button. Pro users will see proactively recommended products packaged in "buyer's guides" based on their past chatlogs through a feature called Pulse. For example, if a user has been discussing e-bikes, a future Pulse card could suggest useful accessories. The shift raises questions about how product discovery will balance user preference with merchant partnerships, and whether shoppers will trust AI recommendations as much as traditional reviews.
