OpenAI has introduced a new feature in its popular chatbot ChatGPT, which allows users to plan and shop for holiday gifts with ease. Dubbed "shopping research," this feature is now available on free and paid plans, enabling nearly unlimited usage during the holiday shopping season.
When users ask ChatGPT about specific products or brands, such as "best TVs in bright lighting," they will be presented with a list of options along with additional questions to help refine their choices. Users can select their preferences based on price, intended use, and desired features, similar to drop-down menus found on retail websites.
However, it's essential to note that the shopping research feature may make mistakes about product details like price and availability. Users are encouraged to visit the merchant site for the most accurate information.
The "shopping research" feature is built on a version of GPT-5 mini that has been refined for shopping tasks, incorporating product recommendations from quality sources on the internet. This includes up-to-date information like price, availability, reviews, specs, and images. The chatbot can also take into account previous conversations with ChatGPT users and user "memory" if enabled.
Pro users will see proactively recommended products packaged in "buyer's guides" based on their past chatlogs with Pulse. For example, if a user has been discussing e-bikes, they may receive suggestions for useful accessories in the future.
OpenAI is not alone in exploring AI-powered shopping features. Google recently released new AI-powered shopping features in its AI Mode, while Perplexity's Comet browser also offers an AI agent that can shop on behalf of users – much to Amazon's dismay.
The "shopping research" feature marks a significant development in the trend towards AI-driven shopping experiences, which has been dubbed "the DoorDash problem" by tech journalist Nilay Patel. As this technology continues to evolve, it's likely that we'll see even more innovative and convenient ways to shop online using AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT.
When users ask ChatGPT about specific products or brands, such as "best TVs in bright lighting," they will be presented with a list of options along with additional questions to help refine their choices. Users can select their preferences based on price, intended use, and desired features, similar to drop-down menus found on retail websites.
However, it's essential to note that the shopping research feature may make mistakes about product details like price and availability. Users are encouraged to visit the merchant site for the most accurate information.
The "shopping research" feature is built on a version of GPT-5 mini that has been refined for shopping tasks, incorporating product recommendations from quality sources on the internet. This includes up-to-date information like price, availability, reviews, specs, and images. The chatbot can also take into account previous conversations with ChatGPT users and user "memory" if enabled.
Pro users will see proactively recommended products packaged in "buyer's guides" based on their past chatlogs with Pulse. For example, if a user has been discussing e-bikes, they may receive suggestions for useful accessories in the future.
OpenAI is not alone in exploring AI-powered shopping features. Google recently released new AI-powered shopping features in its AI Mode, while Perplexity's Comet browser also offers an AI agent that can shop on behalf of users – much to Amazon's dismay.
The "shopping research" feature marks a significant development in the trend towards AI-driven shopping experiences, which has been dubbed "the DoorDash problem" by tech journalist Nilay Patel. As this technology continues to evolve, it's likely that we'll see even more innovative and convenient ways to shop online using AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT.
, but also kinda worried about how much personal info I'm sharing with OpenAI 
. I mean, it's one thing to get gift ideas from a chatbot, but when you start using "memory" and past conversations to personalize recommendations, it gets a bit creepy 
. And what's up with the price and availability info sometimes being off? It's like they're trying to get me to visit Amazon or something 
. Still, I guess this is the future of shopping, and I'll just have to accept it 
. Maybe one day we'll have AI-powered personal shoppers who can even help us pick out outfits that fit our body types 
... now that would be cool 
.
i was chatting with my fam about what to get them and chatgpt literally gave me a list of options with pros & cons lol. but at the same time, it's def not perfect and i had to fact check some prices cuz chatgpt wasn't always right 
i think its so cool that chatgpt can help us plan and shop for gifts now 
. cant wait to see how this tech keeps evolving and making our online shopping experience even better 
! It's going to make my holiday shopping a breeze, but I do hope they improve the accuracy of product details... I mean, it wouldn't be great if I was looking forward to buying something and then found out it's actually out of stock 
. Anyway, it's clear that AI-powered shopping features are the future now, and I'm all for it 
!
Like, what's the point of even having a brain when you can just ask a chatbot for recommendations? 
On a serious note, though, I think it's cool that OpenAI is innovating like this. The idea of using AI-powered chatbots to help with holiday shopping sounds super convenient. 
. Still, I think it's awesome that OpenAI is pushing the boundaries of AI shopping experiences. And with Perplexity and Google already on the scene, we can expect even more innovative solutions to hit the market soon