OpenAI has launched a new product which will involve AI agents undertaking a user's purchases for them, with the ability to pay on their behalf without accessing their personal details, as per reports on Friday.
Known as ChatGPT wallet, it uses agents, referred to as 'dots' that undertake online shopping on the user's behalf and help them make up their minds on what they'd like to buy. Users can go over the items, the total amount to be paid as well as the means of payment, with the transaction being completed with a Face ID or fingerprint scan which logs the purchase.
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This feature will initially be made available to subscriber of ChatGPT Pro subscribers based in the US, who are eighteen and older. The wallet is integrated with American Express, Mastercard and Visa cards.
The company said the payment network will provide a payment token in place of the actual card details, so neither the business nor the agent can see them.OpenAI expects users to eventually delegate purchases to agents within certain set parameters, such as spending limits, categories or time periods.
ChatGPT subscribers can add eligible payment cards to the new ChatGPT Wallet and then ask their dot to complete a purchase. Users only need to set up their payment details once and do not have to enter them again for every transaction.
When a purchase is made, ChatGPT Wallet charges the selected card using a payment token instead of the user's actual card details, ensuring that neither the dot nor the merchant receives the card information.
According to OpenAI, the merchant automatically receives the information needed to fulfill the order, such as the shipping address and contact details, from the dot. Customers making purchases through their dots can still earn credit card rewards and access card benefits, including the ability to dispute transactions.
OpenAI is initially limiting access to the feature so it can test, refine, and improve its performance before making it available more widely. Going forward, the company plans to give users more control by letting them set spending limits and define rules based on purchase categories or time periods. This would allow users to pre-approve purchases that their agent can complete more independently.
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OpenAI also plans to expand the agentic shopping feature to support a wider range of retailers. However, this may be challenging in some cases, as certain retailers are blocking AI agents from accessing their websites. In the retail space, Amazon is among the largest companies restricting AI agents, as it seeks to direct users toward its own AI assistant, Alexa.
To help retailers support agent-driven shopping, OpenAI has released a Commerce Partner Playbook that provides guidance and tools for businesses looking to serve customers who use AI agents.
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