OpenAI has unveiled a groundbreaking feature that could transform the future of e-commerce: Instant Checkout, a system that allows users to complete purchases directly inside ChatGPT without ever leaving the chat.
Developed in partnership with Stripe, the payments giant, and major platforms like Etsy and Shopify, this innovation positions AI as a true personal shopping assistant for millions of users.
How Instant Checkout Works
When a user types a shopping-related query into ChatGPT — for example “best running shoes under $100” or “gifts for a ceramics lover” — the AI generates a product list ordered by relevance.
For products compatible with Instant Checkout, the process is seamless:
click “buy”,
confirm order details,
complete the purchase directly within the chat.
Payments, order processing, and shipping are still managed by the merchant using their existing systems. ChatGPT simply acts as the AI agent, securely transferring the necessary information between the customer and the business.
Brands Already Onboard
In addition to Etsy stores and more than one million Shopify merchants, several big names are preparing to join the rollout, including:
Glossier (cosmetics)
SKIMS (shapewear)
Vuori (activewear)
With 700 million weekly ChatGPT users, the potential reach of Instant Checkout is immense.
The Agentic Commerce Protocol: Stripe’s Role
At the core of this innovation lies the Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open-source framework co-developed by OpenAI and Stripe.
It defines how AI systems can handle transactions securely, while ensuring merchants maintain full control over:
payment processing,
customer relationships,
fulfillment workflows.
For businesses already using Stripe, enabling Instant Checkout requires just a single line of code. Others can join through Stripe’s Shared Payment Token API or by implementing the Delegated Payments Spec.
Will Gaybrick, Stripe’s President of Technology and Business, summed it up:
“Stripe is building the economic infrastructure for AI, re-architecting today’s commerce systems and creating new AI-powered experiences for billions of people.”
Security and User Benefits
Free for users: No extra fees, no impact on product prices.
Encrypted payments: Tokens are authorized only for specified merchants and amounts.
Transparency: Search results remain organic and unsponsored, ranked purely by relevance.
User control: Every step requires explicit confirmation.
What’s Next for Instant Checkout?
Currently, the feature only supports single-item purchases. Upcoming updates include:
shopping carts for multi-item checkouts,
a broader range of participating merchants,
availability in additional regions beyond the U.S.
By combining AI and payments infrastructure, OpenAI and Stripe are pioneering the next wave of agentic commerce, where intelligent systems become the bridge between customers and businesses.
