OpenAI’s annual Developer Day unveiled a bold vision for the future of digital commerce, centered on transforming ChatGPT into a full-fledged platform for AI-driven shopping and app integration. The event highlighted a seamless experience where users can book rides via Uber, reserve travel through Expedia, order food from DoorDash, or purchase goods from Target—all without leaving the ChatGPT interface. This integration marks a significant step toward an AI-first internet, where conversations directly trigger actions and transactions. A key component of this strategy is Instant Checkout, a new payment system that enables one-click purchases across platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and Stripe. By embedding payment infrastructure into ChatGPT, OpenAI is positioning itself not just as a conversational AI, but as a central hub for commerce. The system allows third-party services to build their own interfaces within ChatGPT, effectively turning the app into a marketplace where users can discover and buy products through natural language interactions. This move gives OpenAI a powerful new revenue stream beyond its current subscription model. If successful, the company could capture a significant share of every transaction processed through its platform—similar to how app stores earn commissions. With access to deep user data, ChatGPT can also make personalized product recommendations, giving OpenAI even greater influence over consumer decisions. In the words of tech analyst Ben Thompson, this positions OpenAI as a super-aggregator, controlling the flow of traffic and spending across a wide range of retailers. The implications extend beyond just convenience. OpenAI is now competing not only with AI rivals like Google and Anthropic but also with major e-commerce players like Amazon and Walmart. The potential scale of this business is immense, especially as more services integrate with ChatGPT’s ecosystem. Other companies are already moving in the same direction. Adobe’s recent report predicts that AI-powered shopping will dominate the holiday season, with consumers increasingly relying on chatbots instead of traditional search engines. Mastercard has labeled agentic commerce a “new competitive arena” for financial services. Google has also entered the space with its AP2 protocol, which supports autonomous agent-initiated purchases—such as buying concert tickets the moment they go on sale or booking flights when prices drop. While early versions of AI shopping are still limited to product discovery, the next phase involves full automation. Agents could negotiate prices, bundle items, or make purchases on behalf of users based on complex preferences. The potential for a fully autonomous, intelligent shopping economy is growing, though adoption remains uncertain. The biggest challenge lies in user trust and behavior. So far, consumers have shown limited interest in fully agentic systems beyond simple searches. But these tools are still in their infancy. As the technology matures and becomes more reliable, user adoption could accelerate. The real test will come when average consumers experience a fully functional, secure, and intuitive AI shopping assistant. For now, OpenAI is laying the foundation. If it succeeds, the company could redefine not just how people interact with AI, but how they shop—turning ChatGPT into one of the most powerful economic engines of the digital age.