OpenAI Just Made ChatGPT Your New Personal Shopping Assistant — Here’s What You Need to Know

If you thought ChatGPT was just good for writing emails and helping you figure out what the heck “tax deductible” means, think again. OpenAI is upgrading ChatGPT’s search feature — and it’s diving headfirst into the world of online shopping. 🛒✨

Here’s the scoop:
Starting today, when you use ChatGPT to search for stuff like “best wireless earbuds under $100” or “most aesthetic throw pillows,” it won’t just spit out a wall of text. Nope — it’ll actually show you:
– Product recommendations (handpicked for you)
– Pictures of the items (because who buys anything without seeing it first?)
– Reviews (so you know if it’s legit)
– Direct links to buy the product (no scavenger hunt necessary)

And the best part? You can ask super specific questions — like “I want sneakers for running that won’t make my feet look huge” — and ChatGPT will customize the results just for you.

What kind of shopping can you do?
Right now, it’s focusing on categories like:
– Fashion 👚
– Beauty 💄
– Home Goods 🛋️
– Electronics 📱

Pretty much everything you endlessly scroll through on weekends.

Who gets access?
Everyone! 🎉 Whether you’re a Pro, Plus, or Free user — or even just some curious soul not logged into ChatGPT — you’ll see the new shopping features rolling out globally. (Yup, even your dad who refuses to make an account.)

Why is OpenAI doing this?
In short: They’re coming for Google’s lunch. 🍽️

Google makes a LOT of money from people shopping through search ads. But lately, it’s been a little… messy. (All those sponsored links, weird product rankings, and 10 ads before you even find the real answer?) OpenAI wants to offer a cleaner, more helpful shopping experience — and for now, they’re promising no ads and no hidden fees.

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT search handled over a BILLION web searches just last week. 🚀 (No pressure, Google.)

But wait — there’s more!
– Soon, if you’re a Pro or Plus user, ChatGPT will remember your preferences from previous chats and recommend products that fit your style and taste. (Think: shopping buddy who actually listens.)
– You’ll also start seeing trending searches pop up when you start typing — kinda like when you type “Taylor Swift” into Google and it auto-completes to “Taylor Swift new album rumors.”
– And yes, ChatGPT search is now sliding into your DMs. It’s being integrated into WhatsApp so you can literally message ChatGPT when you need shopping advice, even on the go.

What’s the catch?
If you live in the EU, U.K., Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein… the memory feature won’t be available to you just yet. (Sorry, Europe — you’ll have to flex that shopping muscle the old-fashioned way for now.)

A quick note on ads:
While OpenAI boss Sam Altman has famously said “no ads ever” — lately he’s been warming up to the idea of “tasteful” advertising. (Tasteful ads = no annoying pop-ups, just maybe a little affiliate link here and there.) But for now, the new shopping tool is ad-free.

Bottom line?
OpenAI just made shopping online a lot less stressful, and a lot more fun. 🛍️ Whether you’re hunting for a new gadget, a killer outfit, or just something random from your midnight scroll sessions, ChatGPT is officially in your corner.