Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI Inc., during a media tour of the Stargate AI data center in Abilene, Texas, USA, on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images
OpenAI on Monday announced a new tool called Shopping Research as consumers ramp up their spending ahead of the holiday season.
The startup said the tool is designed for ChatGPT users looking for a detailed and well-researched shopping guide. According to the blog, the guide includes popular products, key differences between products, and the latest information from retailers.
Users can customize the guide based on their budget, features they care about, and what they want to buy. OpenAI says shopping surveys take several minutes to generate responses, so users looking for simple answers like price checks can rely on regular ChatGPT responses.
OpenAI says that when a user sends a prompt to ChatGPT, such as “Find the quietest cordless stick vacuum for my small apartment,” or “I need a gift for my 4-year-old niece who loves art,” the shopping research tool will automatically pop up. This tool can also be accessed from the menu.
OpenAI has been moving deeper into e-commerce in recent months. In September, the company introduced a feature called “Instant Checkout” that allows users to buy directly from eligible merchants through ChatGPT.
OpenAI said Monday that Shopping Research users will be able to make purchases with instant checkout in the future.
OpenAI said its shopping findings are organic and based on publicly available retail websites, and it does not share users’ chats with retailers. Shopping research is subject to errors regarding product availability and pricing, the company said.
Shopping surveys are being rolled out to OpenAI Free, Go, Plus, and Pro users who are logged in to ChatGPT.
Spotlight: OpenAI taps Foxconn to build AI hardware in the US
