OpenAI has added real-time shopping features to ChatGPT, allowing users to search for and compare products in plain language. The tool, available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, pulls live data from the web and delivers personalized product recommendations, potentially challenging how people use Google or Amazon for online shopping.
The feature lets users describe what they want in natural terms — like “a quiet washing machine for a small apartment” — and receive a curated list of options with explanations, links to buy, and comparisons. It uses ChatGPT’s custom GPTs and browsing tools to analyze product listings, filter by user criteria, and present options in a side-by-side format.
According to a writer in Tech Radar, what sets this apart from past AI shopping attempts is how fluid and specific it feels. “It actually worked… and worked well,” wrote Lance Ulanoff in his recent review. “It was more helpful and intuitive than I expected.” Unlike past tools that relied on outdated data or basic keyword matches, ChatGPT actively reasons through the request, applying judgment and relevance.
This could mark a shift in how users begin their product searches — especially if they start turning to ChatGPT instead of Google or Amazon. While Amazon actually sells products, like Google, it’s real value is in how much it knows about consumer’s preferences and how it presents the right products. That could vault OpenAI, with hundreds of millions of engaged users, into a formidable competitor with businesses that have spent decades building their capabilities.
For OpenAI, it’s part of a larger push to turn ChatGPT from a chatbot into a digital assistant that performs real tasks. For e-commerce and search giants, it’s a warning shot: if conversational AI can handle comparison shopping effectively, the value of traditional search ads and product listings may start to erode.
