In a move poised to reshape digital commerce, OpenAI appears close to launching native shopping capabilities inside ChatGPT — powered by Shopify’s checkout infrastructure. New code artifacts spotted in the wild reveal a serious step toward making AI not just an advisor, but an active transaction agent.
That’s not all. Recently, OpenAI added shopping features to ChatGPT—now it helps people discover products too. Users can get personalised product recommendations and links to buy them directly with a built-in shopping feature.
It’s not aiming to replace Amazon or Google (at least not yet), but it’s changing the way we search for, choose, and shop for things online, challenging the habit of always turning to Google first.
Here’s what’s happening — and why it matters.
Evidence of In-Chat Checkout Emerges
Tucked inside ChatGPT’s latest public web assets are unmistakable signals:
- A buy_now call-to-action
- Price and shipping fields
- Product offer ratings
- A shopify_checkout_url
Rather than redirecting users to merchant sites, the structure suggests a seamless hand-off to Shopify’s hosted checkout — a far cry from generic affiliate links. The goal: keep users inside ChatGPT from discovery through purchase, tightening the loop.
In short:
- Native e-commerce flows are coming to ChatGPT
- Shopify merchants would sell directly without added integration work
- ChatGPT could shift from a search/assist tool to a full-funnel buying assistant
Competitive Pressures: Why Now?
The AI-commerce race is heating up fast:
- Microsoft launched its Copilot Merchant Program on April 18, 2025, enabling sellers to create in-chat storefronts.
- Perplexity AI debuted its “Buy with Pro” feature last November, alongside a merchant API.
- OpenAI’s Operator research agent has been quietly booking travel and grocery orders for Pro users since late 2024.
Simply put: standing still isn’t an option. OpenAI needs to move from passive answers to active transactions — and Shopify gives them the rails to do it fast.
Where It Fits: Inside the ChatGPT Experience
Recent structural updates suggest shopping will surface similarly to new system modules like weather, stock tickers, and news:
- Integrated inside the main answer panel
- Zero need for users to leave the chat
- Likely rolled out first to paid users before expanding wider
Given that the production assets are already live — a pattern that typically precedes public features by a release or two — a staged rollout looks imminent.
Why Shopify? Aligning Strategic Bets
Shopify isn’t just a shopping cart anymore — it's aiming to be an AI-first platform.
An internal memo from CEO Tobi Lütke on April 7 made it clear: “Hire an AI before you hire a human.” The directive reflects a broader shift: embedding AI deeper across Shopify’s tools, workflows, and merchant experience.
A partnership with OpenAI would serve multiple strategic goals for Shopify:
- Massive new distribution without heavy engineering lift
- Early mover advantage in agentic commerce
- Proof point that Shopify is building for the next wave, not the last
Meanwhile, OpenAI wins by plugging into Shopify’s vast merchant network and proven checkout flows — avoiding the need to build or onboard thousands of sellers manually.
What It Means for the Future of Commerce
If ChatGPT can pull off seamless in-chat buying, it could mark a fundamental change:
- Search collapses into action. No more jumping between tabs or apps.
- Merchants meet customers exactly where they are — inside conversations.
- AI moves from helper to agent — executing, not just advising.
It’s no longer about search engine optimization. It’s about agent optimisation — and both OpenAI and Shopify seem determined to lead that charge.
Final Thought: The Full-Funnel AI Future is Coming
This isn’t just another feature. It’s a major signal that the age of conversational commerce is shifting gears. In the near future, the best shopping experiences might not happen on websites at all — they’ll happen inside the AI agents we trust the most.
OpenAI and Shopify appear ready to meet that future head-on.
Need a fresh perspective? Let’s talk.
At 360 OM, we specialise in helping businesses take their marketing efforts to the next level. Our team stays on top of industry trends, uses data-informed decisions to maximise your ROI, and provides full transparency through comprehensive reports.
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