AI in Commerce News: Instant Checkout in ChatGPT

The AI in commerce market ended Q3 with big news: shoppers can now buy products directly in ChatGPT. With Instant Checkout, ChatGPT isn’t just a guide—it’s a storefront.

Earlier this week, OpenAI announced a partnership with Stripe, Etsy and Shopify that connects people and businesses to the next era of commerce—using AI as a key interface for how people discover, decide and buy. While conversational AI has already proven its value in product discovery and customer service, the ability to complete purchases directly within a chat interface marks a major leap forward. 

While the general population is curious but cautious about AI-powered shopping, over 700 million people use ChatGPT every week. So, chat, is this partnership the turning point for how people will feel about using AI to shop?

Click From Chat to Checkout: Full-Funnel AI Shopping

Until now, conversational AI has helped shoppers discover products, ask questions, and compare options. But one critical step remained outside the AI loop: the transaction itself. This seamless integration of discovery, decision-making and transaction radically simplifies the buyer journey. It eliminates friction, closes the loop and turns intent into action in a matter of seconds. 

This isn’t just a user experience upgrade; it’s a fundamental shift in how consumers interact with brands and make purchases.

While Americans still have hesitations around AI-assisted shopping—for various reasons found here—we believe this is the feature that will unlock consumer acceptance of AI in commerce. Why? Because it offers something every shopper wants: speed, simplicity and confidence. That’s the kind of efficiency today’s consumers demand—and tomorrow’s AI-native shoppers will expect. 

The Market Has Spoken: Retailers on AI in Commerce

For retailers, this marks a new chapter—one where traditional product journeys are compressed into a few lines of dialogue, and AI doesn’t just influence conversions, it owns them. For brands and retailers, this shift changes the game. We’re entering an era where brand visibility, product discoverability and conversion will increasingly be influenced—or entirely driven—by AI systems.

"Bringing Shopify merchants into ChatGPT lets indie brands to household names reach customers in entirely new ways, meeting high-intent shoppers in relevant conversations. From search to social media and now to agent-assisted shopping, our goal is always to make sure our merchants are at the forefront." - Vanessa Lee, VP of Product at Shopify

Merchandising strategies, inventory planning and assortment decisions need to evolve to account for AI-driven demand signals. Retailers can’t just think in terms of website traffic or social ads anymore. They need to think in terms of chat visibility. AI is curating the chaos of the digital shelf, making product discovery more intuitive, more relevant and more human. 

"It’s Etsy’s job to help shoppers discover special items our sellers offer—even when they don’t think to come to Etsy. ChatGPT helps us meet buyers where they are." - Rafe Colburn, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Etsy

The recent partnership between OpenAI and major commerce platforms is a clear signal that the retail and tech markets are aligning around a new shared vision: AI will become a core sales channel. And that bet is backed by more than hype. It reflects a maturing ecosystem that’s ready to deliver value.

By turning ChatGPT into a fully shoppable interface—powered by trusted platforms like Stripe, Etsy and Shopify—OpenAI is helping redefine AI in the commerce space. For retailers and brands, this is the moment to rethink visibility, discoverability and conversion in a world where AI is no longer just assisting the shopping experience—it’s becoming the channel itself. 

To discover more retail trends, industry insights and innovative shifts in retail tech, read our blogs. Share your thoughts with the team by emailing info@7thonline.com.