ChatGPT is beginning to handle online purchases for some subscribers. OpenAI’s new Wallet feature lets its AI agents, called dots, help users decide what to buy and complete checkout after the user reviews and approves the transaction.
How shopping through ChatGPT Wallet works
To get started, an eligible subscriber adds a payment card to ChatGPT Wallet. They can then ask a dot for help with a purchase. OpenAI describes adding a card as a one-time setup, so users do not need to enter payment information again for each order.
Before checkout, the user can review the items, the total cost and the card selected for payment. They must then approve the purchase directly using a security check such as Face ID or a fingerprint. OpenAI says this approval creates a record of the transaction.
When the user approves the purchase, Wallet charges the selected card using a payment token. That token stands in for the actual card details, which OpenAI says are not shared with the dot or the merchant.
Users approve the order; merchants handle fulfillment
The agent can pass the merchant information needed to fulfill the order, including a shipping address and contact information. That makes it possible for the dot to arrange the purchase while the user still gets a chance to check the order and authorize payment.
OpenAI says shoppers using dots can still earn credit card rewards and use protections typically associated with their cards, including the ability to dispute transactions. These details matter because letting an agent take part in checkout raises practical questions about payment information, accountability and what happens when a purchase goes wrong.
The feature does not currently make purchases entirely on the user’s behalf without oversight. The user reviews the order and completes a security approval before the transaction proceeds. OpenAI plans to add options that could give users more control over what an agent may buy without requiring the same step each time.
A limited launch as AI shopping grows
At launch, ChatGPT Wallet is available to a limited number of U.S. ChatGPT Pro subscribers who are at least 18 and have a U.S.-issued Visa, Mastercard or American Express. OpenAI says the restricted rollout will give it a chance to test the feature and improve its capabilities before making it more widely available.
The launch comes as consumer AI services look for useful ways to help people complete everyday tasks. The article reports that DoorDash and Uber have seen low numbers of orders placed by AI agents, while shopping assisted by Meta’s Muse has become a top activity on its app, which now has over 10 million users. Other personal agents, including Instinct, also support purchases on users’ behalf.
OpenAI is also preparing for a broader set of retailers to support agentic shopping. That expansion may be difficult where retailers block AI agents from using their sites. The article identifies Amazon as the largest retailer to ban them, saying it aims to steer users toward its own AI agent, Alexa.
More autonomy will depend on controls and retailer support
OpenAI says it plans to let users set spending limits and configure rules around purchase categories or time periods. Those controls could allow users to pre-approve certain purchases for an agent to handle more autonomously. The company also wants the feature to work with more retailers.
For retailers interested in serving customers who shop through agents, OpenAI has published a Commerce Partner Playbook with tools and guidance. Whether ChatGPT Wallet becomes a routine way to shop will depend in part on how many merchants support it and how much control users feel they have over their agents’ purchases.