THE CRUNCH
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Wallet, a payment feature that lets its Dots AI agents shop and complete purchases on a user's behalf. It is rolling out initially to a limited number of US ChatGPT Pro subscribers aged 18 and over with a US billing address who hold an eligible US-issued Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Chase card.
Users add an eligible card to the wallet once, then ask their dot to find something to buy. Before checkout, ChatGPT shows the items, the total and the card to be charged, and the user approves the payment with a security check such as Face ID or a fingerprint. OpenAI says that approval creates a clear record of the transaction.
Card details are never shared with the agent or the merchant. Instead, the payment partners generate a payment token, a stand-in card number used to charge the selected card. OpenAI says shoppers keep their usual card rewards and protections, such as disputing transactions, and the merchant automatically receives what it needs to fulfil the order, like the shipping address.
The launch is deliberately narrow so OpenAI can test the feature before expanding it. Planned additions include spending limits and rules around purchase categories or time periods, so users could pre-approve purchases their agent then handles more autonomously. OpenAI has also published a Commerce Partner Playbook to help retailers adapt, since many sites and payment systems still block AI agents as bots. Amazon, the largest retailer to ban them, steers shoppers towards its own agent instead.
This is OpenAI's second attempt at in-chat shopping. According to The Decoder, the company scrapped its earlier Instant Checkout feature because it was not flexible enough, and rivals including Anthropic, Meta and xAI already offer agents that can shop and pay online.