OpenAI is reportedly working with Shopify to launch an in-chat AI shopping feature within ChatGPT. As reported by Testing Catalog, new code discovered in ChatGPT’s public web bundle points to a purchase flow that would allow users to buy products directly in the chatbot interface.

Testing Catalog said the discovery includes code strings like “buy_now,” “price,” “shipping,” “product-offer ratings,” and most notably, “shopify_checkout_url.” These suggest that the feature could handle everything from discovery to checkout within ChatGPT. There would be no need to visit an external website.

What the new in-chat shopping experience might look like 

The new feature could look like a new kind of shopping flow integrated into OpenAI's AI assistant. The report says the new strings already live in OpenAI’s production assets. 

If this integration goes live, ChatGPT users could ask questions and instead of linking to external pages, the chatbot could surface a list of Shopify-sourced products, complete with prices, reviews, shipping info, and a “buy now” button.

The purchase could be completed right within the chat, using Shopify’s checkout system embedded in the answer panel.

This could be a big boost for Shopify merchants

For Shopify’s merchant base, which includes millions of sellers globally, this opens up access to ChatGPT’s reported 800 million to 1 billion users. If the feature is launched, products listed on Shopify could become visible inside a conversational interface used by both casual shoppers and serious buyers.

OpenAI is following other companies developing agentic AI tools

OpenAI is following industry trends in agentic commerce. Launching this feature will put the company in the same conversation as platforms like Amazon and Perplexity.

Microsoft has launched a Copilot Merchant Program that integrates e-commerce into its AI ecosystem. Amazon is currently testing ‘Buy for Me,’ an AI-powered feature that lets shoppers buy from third-party websites without leaving the Amazon app.

Perplexity has a ‘Buy with Pro’ feature, which lets U.S. Pro users shop directly inside its AI-powered search engine. With the tool, users get visual product cards showing prices, pros and cons, and shipping information.

OpenAI has already shown interest in agent-based interactions with its Operator agent. This experimental feature lets Pro users book travel, order groceries, and perform more functions. These actions hint at a broader move toward AI handling tasks end-to-end.

The company is extending its product into a transactional platform. Up until now, ChatGPT has mostly been used for information retrieval, summarizing, or helping with tasks. Adding this feature would make it a commerce platform. OpenAI is also considering a social networking platform.

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