• OpenAI is making it easier to discover new products and compare them in ChatGPT
• Buyers weren't so fond of Instant Checkout, the company admits
• Companies like Walmart are linking their own environment into ChatGPT

OpenAI has announced a new shopping experience coming to ChatGPT designed to better help users discover new products and compare multiple options.

The updates are all about a more visual interface – ChatGPT users can upload images as well as texts, setting out budget constraints and preferences, and the results are also now more visual with clearer side-by-side comparisons.

Besides the customer-facing interface, OpenAI has also made under-the-hood changes to improve speed, relevant and product coverage.

However, the company has also recognized that, while buyers are keen to learn more about potential purchases through AI, they're not so keen on buying through ChatGPT. As a result, Instant Checkout is being scaled back and ChatGPT will focus on more conventional merchant buying journeys.

There are still opportunities for merchants to link in more closely to the chatbot interaction. For example, Walmart (a company that sat at the top for years before being dethroned by Amazon) will be supporting account linking, loyalty and Walmart payments within ChatGPT.

"By partnering closely with OpenAI, we’ve been able to learn together as we move quickly to shape what agentic commerce can become," Walmart EVP Daniel Danker wrote.

And while Anthropic has been praised for opening up the MCP, OpenAI wants to be known for ACP, the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which acts as a backend layer to connect merchants with users. The latest ACP improvements help product discovery.

"As with other parts of ChatGPT, we’re building iteratively," the company wrote, suggesting it may continue to change course as it has done with Instant Checkout. "We’re learning from early launches, incorporating feedback from users and merchants, and continuing to improve the experience over time."

The updated buying experience is rolling out for Free, Go, Plus and Pro users now.

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With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!