OpenAI is stepping up its game with an enhanced shopping feature for its ChatGPT web search tool, aiming to transform online shopping experiences for users. This latest update allows ChatGPT to present tailored product recommendations, complete with images and reviews, and direct purchase links. Users can engage in natural language queries to receive personalized results while exploring categories including fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics.
Launching in GPT-4o, this feature is available to ChatGPT Pro, Plus, and Free users worldwide, significantly expanding accessibility. OpenAI’s objective with this update is direct competition with Google, a leader in online shopping and advertising. The company emphasizes a more personalized shopping experience, distancing from the cluttered ad-driven model that often hampers search quality.
In a notable achievement, OpenAI reported over a billion web searches conducted through ChatGPT last week, underscoring its rapid growth. Crucially, the new shopping results will derive from structured metadata sourced from third-party sellers, ensuring transparency and relevance without involving advertisements, which OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously criticized in the platform.
In a recent industry interview, Altman hinted at a paradigm shift regarding ads, suggesting potential ‘tasteful’ advertising strategies that could involve affiliate fees for transactions made through ChatGPT, though priority placements will remain off the table.
The company is also set to integrate a memory feature for Pro and Plus users, enabling ChatGPT to leverage users’ previous interactions for refined product suggestions. A significant caveat is that EU countries, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein will not benefit from this functionality due to regulatory constraints.
Moreover, ChatGPT now incorporates trending searches into its user interface, resembling Google’s autocomplete capabilities. A notable expansion brings ChatGPT’s shopping features to WhatsApp, facilitating quick answers via the chatbot.
Previously, OpenAI tested shopping capabilities through its AI agent platform, Operator, which provided product suggestions after extensive web searches. However, the ChatGPT shopping experience promises a faster, more user-friendly interface, allowing shoppers to ask questions and receive instant answers in natural language.
With these moves, OpenAI not only advances its AI capabilities but also reshapes the future of online shopping, shaking up the competitive landscape.