Tech and AI
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Wallet, letting its AI agents complete purchases for users who approve each one
- What happened
- OpenAI on Friday launched ChatGPT Wallet, which lets its agents, called dots, choose items and check out on a user’s behalf.
- Why it matters
- It is OpenAI’s move into agent shopping, a market where results so far are mixed and some big retailers, Amazon among them, block AI agents.
- What’s next
- It starts with a limited group of US ChatGPT Pro subscribers; OpenAI plans spending limits and pre-approved purchases later.
How this story developed
- 18:00First report
- 19:002nd source
- 19:00Confirmed
- 18:00First reportOpenAI News
- 19:002nd sourceTechCrunch
- 19:00LatestConfirmedWas: Single source
Full story
Shopping by agent
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Wallet on Friday, a feature that lets its AI agents help users decide what to buy and then complete the purchase for them, the company and TechCrunch reported. OpenAI says the wallet works for agents in ChatGPT Work, Codex and dots, the name it gives its personal agents, with the user’s approval and existing card protections.
At first it is open only to a limited number of US ChatGPT Pro subscribers aged 18 and over who have a US-issued Visa, Mastercard or American Express card. OpenAI says the limited launch will let it test and improve the feature before a wider rollout.
How a purchase works
Users add their cards to the wallet once and then ask their dot to help with a purchase. Before checkout they review the items, the total and the card that will be charged, and approve the payment with a security check such as Face ID or a fingerprint, which creates a record of the transaction, according to TechCrunch.
The wallet charges the card with a payment token, a stand-in for the real card details, so neither the agent nor the merchant sees the card number. The merchant receives what it needs to fulfil the order, such as the shipping address and contact details. OpenAI says shoppers keep their card rewards and the usual protections, including the right to dispute a charge.
A crowded, uncertain market
TechCrunch noted that consumer AI tools are still looking for the right fit. DoorDash and Uber have reported low numbers of orders placed by AI agents, while Meta’s Muse, with more than 10 million users, has seen AI-assisted shopping become a top activity on its app. Other personal agents, such as Instinct, can already buy things for users.
OpenAI plans to let users set spending limits and rules by purchase category or time period, so that their agent can handle pre-approved purchases more on its own. Reaching more retailers may be harder: some block AI agents from their sites, and the largest to do so is Amazon, which steers shoppers to its own agent, Alexa. OpenAI has also published a Commerce Partner Playbook to help sellers support agents.