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OpenAI is pushing further into Google’s domain with a major update to ChatGPT’s search feature by introducing a new shopping experience directly inside the chatbot.
The AI company announced the rollout on Monday, saying the goal is to make shopping “simpler and faster” by allowing users to “find, compare, and buy products in ChatGPT.”
In a post on X, OpenAI wrote: “We’re excited to announce we’ve launched several improvements to ChatGPT search, and today we’re starting to roll out a better shopping experience.” The update includes improved product results, visual details like prices and reviews, and links that take users to a store where they can complete their purchase. Importantly, OpenAI emphasized that, “Product results are chosen independently and are not ads.”
The shopping features are rolling out to all ChatGPT users, including those on Free, Plus, and Pro plans, as well as logged-out users. Full availability is expected within a few days.
Shopping is like a conversation
Instead of keyword-heavy product searches like on Google, ChatGPT aims to create a more conversational and personalized experience. Adam Fry, OpenAI’s ChatGPT search product lead, told WIRED, “It’s trying to understand how people are reviewing this, how people are talking about this, what the pros and cons are.”
For example, if a user asks for the best espresso machine under $200 that’s compact and great for lattes, ChatGPT can now pull up a set of recommendations complete with product images, star ratings, prices, and an “Ask about this” button for deeper questions.
In an interview with The Verge, Fry demonstrated how clicking on a product opens a sidebar — similar to Google Shopping — that lists sellers such as Amazon and Walmart. Unlike Google, the products shown in ChatGPT are not paid placements.
ChatGPT sources reviews and data from a combination of editorial sources and user forums like Reddit. Users can also guide the chatbot on what kind of reviews they prefer to prioritize. Although users can find product recommendations through ChatGPT, they cannot yet complete purchases within the app. Instead, clicking on a product redirects users to the retailer’s website to finalize the transaction.
More improvements to ChatGPT search
The shopping update is part of a broader upgrade to ChatGPT’s search tool, which OpenAI says is now seeing more than one billion web searches per week.
Other improvements include:
- Better citations, with clearer highlights showing which parts of a response are backed by sources.
- Autocomplete and trending search suggestions for faster querying.
- New access via ChatGPT via WhatsApp by messaging or calling 1-800-CHATGPT (+1-800-242-8478) for answers and live updates like sports scores.
The shopping launch also reflects OpenAI’s direct response to intensifying competition in AI search. Perplexity, one of OpenAI’s rivals, already enables in-app shopping, while Google has begun labeling some Shopping tab results with “Researched with AI.” Nevertheless, OpenAI is betting big on ChatGPT’s ability to act like a trusted shopping assistant.