OpenAI Rolls Out ChatGPT's Ability to Buy Stuff for You
In a significant development, OpenAI has launched Instant Checkout, a new feature that allows users of its popular chatbot, ChatGPT, to purchase items directly from the platform. Starting today, all ChatGPT users in the U.S. can use Instant Checkout to buy single items from Etsy sellers without leaving the chat.
According to OpenAI, more than a million Shopify merchants, including Glossier, SKIMS, and Spanx, will soon be integrated with Instant Checkout. The company plans to expand the feature to support multi-item carts and add more merchants and regions in the coming months.
"We're excited to bring this seamless shopping experience to our users," said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. "Instant Checkout is a major step towards creating a fully functional AI agent that can handle tasks like shopping online."
The technology behind Instant Checkout is based on the Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open-sourced standard developed in collaboration with payment processor Stripe. The protocol aims to make it easier for developers to integrate their stores with ChatGPT and create a unified platform for AI-driven commerce.
This move puts OpenAI at the forefront of the industry's push towards creating virtual assistants that can handle various tasks, from writing reports to booking travel. Just last week, OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT Pulse, which conducts relevant research for users and connects to their email.
The integration of Instant Checkout with ChatGPT marks a significant milestone in the development of AI agents. "This is a major step towards creating a seamless shopping experience that's powered by AI," said Andrew Ng, co-founder of Coursera and former head of AI at Google. "We're seeing a lot of innovation in this space, and OpenAI is definitely leading the charge."
OpenAI's goal is to create an AI agent that can handle complex tasks, including shopping online. With Instant Checkout, users can now purchase items directly from ChatGPT without leaving the chat. The feature will be available to all ChatGPT users in the U.S. starting today.
In addition to expanding Instant Checkout to more merchants and regions, OpenAI plans to open-source the Agentic Commerce Protocol, making it easier for developers to integrate their stores with ChatGPT. This move is expected to accelerate the development of AI-driven commerce and create a unified platform for shopping online.
As the industry continues to push towards creating virtual assistants that can handle various tasks, OpenAI's Instant Checkout feature is a significant step forward. With its seamless shopping experience and open-sourced technology, OpenAI is poised to lead the way in the development of AI agents.
Background
ChatGPT is a popular chatbot developed by OpenAI that uses natural language processing (NLP) to understand user queries and provide relevant responses. The platform has gained significant traction since its launch last year, with millions of users interacting with ChatGPT daily.
The Agentic Commerce Protocol is an open-sourced standard developed in collaboration with Stripe. The protocol aims to create a unified platform for AI-driven commerce by making it easier for developers to integrate their stores with chatbots like ChatGPT.
Additional Perspectives
Industry experts see OpenAI's Instant Checkout feature as a significant step forward in the development of AI agents. "This is a major milestone in the development of virtual assistants that can handle complex tasks," said Ng. "We're seeing a lot of innovation in this space, and OpenAI is definitely leading the charge."
Current Status and Next Developments
OpenAI's Instant Checkout feature is available to all ChatGPT users in the U.S. starting today. The company plans to expand the feature to support multi-item carts and add more merchants and regions in the coming months. In addition, OpenAI will open-source the Agentic Commerce Protocol, making it easier for developers to integrate their stores with ChatGPT.
As the industry continues to push towards creating virtual assistants that can handle various tasks, OpenAI's Instant Checkout feature is a significant step forward. With its seamless shopping experience and open-sourced technology, OpenAI is poised to lead the way in the development of AI agents.
*Reporting by Gizmodo.*
