Since its launch, ChatGPT has gradually expanded its scope: from a conversational assistant to a tool for writing, research, and planning. But one new feature marks a true turning point: the ability for the AI to make online purchases and process payments on the user’s behalf. With the Instant Checkout feature, OpenAI is introducing an integrated transactional service for the first time. Users can order a product or service without leaving the chatbot. Once the order is confirmed, an AI agent handles the transaction with the seller. This development transforms ChatGPT into a true shopping assistant, while opening up a new revenue stream for OpenAI through a commission charged on each successful transaction.
An assistant who becomes a buyer
The promise is simple: ask ChatGPT to buy a plane ticket, renew a subscription, or order a product, and let the AI handle the entire process. In practice, this capability relies on the integration of secure banking protocols and e-commerce APIs. With Instant Checkout, the user remains within the chatbot’s conversational environment, which greatly simplifies the experience.
Initial trials are focused on partner sites, where reliability and traceability are guaranteed. According to a Gartner survey, 45% of consumers say they would be willing to delegate certain recurring purchases to AI, provided security is ensured1.
ChatGPT already helps millions of people find what to buy. Now it can help them buy it too.
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 29, 2025
We’re introducing Instant Checkout in ChatGPT with @Etsy and @Shopify, and open-sourcing the Agentic Commerce Protocol that powers it, built with @Stripe, so more merchants and developers… pic.twitter.com/9miGZr1Yn7
Use cases that transform everyday life
The potential applications are numerous and address very everyday needs:
- Tickets and travel: Book a flight or train ticket with a single request, without having to navigate a complex interface.
- Online shopping and orders: automatically add recurring items to a cart and complete the purchase.
- Services and subscriptions: automatically renew a mobile plan, a streaming service, or cloud storage.
A McKinsey study estimates that automating repetitive tasks, such as recurring purchases, could generate productivity gains equivalent to $2.6 trillion annually worldwide2. In this context, transactional assistants like ChatGPT are becoming a driver of efficiency but also a factor in transforming consumer habits.
Digital Skills at Play
The emergence of such a feature implies significant changes in the digital industry ecosystem.
- For developers and e-commerce specialists: mastering the integration of banking APIs and payment security is becoming essential.
- For cybersecurity experts: the challenge is to anticipate the vulnerabilities that an autonomous agent could introduce into payment chains.
- For customer service professionals: AI is changing the customer journey, which means redefining touchpoints with consumers.
As early as 2024, the OECD reported that 27% of European companies identified a skills gap in AI applied to digital commerce3. New areas of expertise are therefore emerging, particularly around the regulation of transactional agents capable of verifying the compliance, transparency, and accountability of purchases made by artificial intelligence.
The advantages and limitations of such a model
The automation of the purchasing process using AI opens up tangible opportunities:
- Benefits: time savings, significantly simplified procedures, greater reliability in subscription processing, and more personalized options.
- Limitations: loss of direct control over transactions, risk of misinterpretation of purchase intentions, increased exposure to algorithmic biases or security vulnerabilities.
An IBM study (2024) reveals that 40% of users remain reluctant to entrust their credit card information to an AI system without strong guarantees of transparency and control4. These figures show that consumer acceptance will depend on the ability of developers to establish a clear governance framework.
Legal and Ethical Issues
Delegating a payment to artificial intelligence immediately raises the question of liability. In the event of an erroneous purchase, who is legally liable? The user, who gave initial consent, or the AI developer, who carried out the transaction?
European consumer law imposes specific obligations regarding consent and withdrawal. The integration of ChatGPT as a purchasing agent will therefore need to comply with these legal requirements.
From an ethical standpoint, delegating a task as sensitive as making payments raises questions about individual digital sovereignty. A study by the European Consumer Organisation indicates that 55% of European citizens fear a “loss of control” when AI makes financial decisions on their behalf5. The challenge, therefore, is to strike a balance between automation and preserving user autonomy.
What does the future hold for transaction assistants?
As this capability evolves, ChatGPT could become much more than just a virtual shopper. In the future, it could manage a financial portfolio, optimize subscriptions, compare prices in real time, or even negotiate discounts. The role of AI would then shift from execution to personal financial strategy.
For professions in commerce and finance, this implies a reorganization of skills and practices. Professionals will not only need to master transactional AI tools but also ensure their use is guided by technical, ethical, and regulatory safeguards.
With Instant Checkout, ChatGPT is truly “pulling out its credit card” and crossing a symbolic threshold. The AI is now capable of translating an intention into an economic action, blurring the line between assistance and action. This step toward transactional autonomy opens up a vast array of opportunities, but also brings with it unprecedented responsibilities. The question remains: will we one day trust artificial intelligence to manage our finances with the same confidence we place in a bank or a human advisor?
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On a related note, check out our article on: Communicating with AI without speaking: Musk’s latest ambition with Neuralink
References
1. Gartner. (2023). Consumer Trust in AI Assistants.
https://www.gartner.com
2. McKinsey. (2023). The State of Consumer Automation.
https://www.mckinsey.com
3. OECD. (2024). AI Skills and Digital Commerce in Europe.
https://www.oecd.org
4. IBM. (2024). Trust in AI Transactions Report.
https://www.ibm.com
5. BEUC. (2024). Consumers and Artificial Intelligence: Trust, Control, and Regulation.
https://www.beuc.eu