OpenAI rolls out new shopping features with ChatGPT search update

On Monday, OpenAI announced that it has enhanced ChatGPT’s web search features to better assist users in online shopping by providing personalized product suggestions, complete with images, reviews, and direct links to make purchases.

The search function of the generative AI trailblazer has become popular since its launch last year and is now among its most in-demand features, with over 1 billion web searches recorded in the last week, the company reported.

The upgrade will be accessible in its standard AI model, GPT-4o. It will be available to all ChatGPT users globally — including Pro, Plus, and Free plans — as well as to individuals accessing the service without signing in. Users will get personalized product suggestions in areas such as fashion, beauty, home items, and electronics when they ask particular questions.

The company stated that the update will omit ads, and they will not earn commissions on purchases made via the ChatGPT platform. The company stated that the shopping outcomes will be independently assessed and will depend on organized metadata from external sources like pricing, product details, and reviews.

This action arises as OpenAI seeks to contest Alphabet’s dominance in search by offering a more user-centered option, differing from Google’s ad-centric search outcomes. In February, a spokesperson for OpenAI informed Reuters that the number of weekly active users exceeded 400 million.