OpenAI has launched a new feature that allows users to purchase products directly within a ChatGPT conversation, a significant move that positions the AI leader to challenge the long-standing dominance of Google and Amazon in online retail. The “Instant Checkout” feature marks a major step towards an agentic, conversational future for e-commerce, potentially reshaping how consumers discover and buy products online.
A New Era of Conversational Commerce
Initially available to all logged-in ChatGPT users in the U.S., Instant Checkout enables direct purchases from Etsy sellers, with plans to integrate over one million Shopify merchants, including major brands like Glossier and Skims, in the near future. This new capability is an evolution of ChatGPT’s existing shopping features, which previously provided product recommendations and links to merchant websites. Now, users can complete the entire transaction—from product selection to confirming shipping and payment details—without ever leaving the chat interface. Payment options include Apple Pay, Google Pay, Stripe, and credit cards. This frictionless experience aims to shift online shopping away from traditional search engines and e-commerce platforms toward curated, conversational agents.
Shifting Power Dynamics in E-Commerce
For years, Google and Amazon have acted as the primary gatekeepers for retail discovery, controlling which products consumers see first. By integrating purchasing capabilities directly into its globally popular chatbot, OpenAI is setting the stage to become a new power broker. If a significant volume of purchases begins within AI conversations, the firms behind these models will gain immense influence over product surfacing and can establish new revenue streams through commissions or fees. OpenAI has stated that its product results are “organic and unsponsored, ranked purely on relevance,” and it will charge merchants a “small fee” on completed transactions, positioning itself as a more neutral platform compared to incumbents who have faced criticism for favoring their own products.
The Race to Build the E-Commerce Protocol for AI
In a strategic move to accelerate adoption, OpenAI announced it will open-source its Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), the underlying technology built with Stripe that powers Instant Checkout. By making ACP available to other merchants and developers, OpenAI aims to establish its technology as the foundational standard for AI-driven commerce. This directly competes with Google, which recently launched its own open protocol, the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2). The race is now on to define the technical infrastructure that will underpin the next generation of e-commerce experiences, with both AI giants vying for control.
Implications for the MENA Region
While the Instant Checkout feature is currently limited to the U.S., its potential impact on the MENA region’s rapidly growing e-commerce landscape is significant. The MENA market, characterized by high digital adoption and a thriving SME sector, is a prime candidate for such innovations. For the thousands of MENA-based merchants on platforms like Shopify, this technology could eventually unlock a powerful new conversational sales channel to a global audience. Furthermore, the rise of agentic commerce will pressure regional e-commerce players and startups to develop their own AI-powered conversational strategies to remain competitive, creating new opportunities for innovation in customer experience and digital retail across the Middle East and North Africa.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. The company is known for creating large-scale AI models such as the GPT series and DALL-E, and for developing flagship products like ChatGPT, a highly capable conversational AI.
Source: TechCrunch
