OpenAI is adding a shopping feature to ChatGPT, allowing users to research products and access buying options, soon available to both signed-in users and guests.

Users will be redirected to retailers’ websites to complete purchases, with product suggestions based on their preferences and reviews from multiple online sources.

ChatGPT search product lead, Adam Fry, said the tool is designed to offer a personalized shopping experience by using a mix of editorial reviews and user-generated content like Reddit.

Unlike Google Shopping, OpenAI’s shopping results are organic and unsponsored, though the company is exploring possible affiliate models while focusing on user experience.

This launch follows similar moves by competitors such as Perplexity and Google, which are also integrating AI-driven shopping features into their platforms.

🔗 Source: Wired

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ AI shopping represents the next phase in retail’s automation journey

OpenAI’s shopping features in ChatGPT follow a decades-long evolution of retail technology, from early e-commerce to today’s AI-driven experiences.

The retail sector has methodically progressed from basic automation (like self-checkout) to sophisticated AI implementations, with each step building toward more seamless consumer experiences1.

In China, this transition accelerated dramatically with mobile payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay, which attracted over 580 million users and fundamentally changed consumer shopping behaviors2.

Major retailers have been experimenting with AI shopping tools for years, with eBay’s 2018 replatforming effort being an early example of leveraging AI to analyze buying patterns and deliver personalized recommendations across their 1.1 billion listings3.

OpenAI’s entry into shopping with ChatGPT comes as the platform already processes over one billion searches weekly, suggesting substantial existing consumer demand for product discovery through conversational AI4.

2️⃣ Affiliate marketing represents a significant revenue opportunity

OpenAI’s exploration of affiliate revenue models aligns with a rapidly growing industry projected to surpass $31 billion globally by 20315.

The affiliate marketing sector offers exceptional ROI potential, with businesses earning an average of $6.50 for every $1 spent on affiliate marketing programs5.

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