ChatGPT has introduced Instant Checkout, a new feature allowing users to buy products directly within its chat interface. The capability is enabled by the Agentic Commerce Protocol, a new standard for AI-driven commerce co-developed with Stripe. The company notes that over 700 million people use ChatGPT weekly for tasks that include product discovery.
The initial rollout of Instant Checkout is available to U.S.-based ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Free users. At launch, purchases can be made from U.S. Etsy sellers. An expansion is planned to include over one million Shopify merchants, with brands such as Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx, and Vuori set to integrate. The feature currently supports single-item purchases, with future updates slated to add multi-item carts and expand merchant and regional availability.
The technology powering the feature, the Agentic Commerce Protocol, is being open-sourced. It is defined as an open standard designed to let AI agents, people, and businesses collaborate on purchases. Co-developed with Stripe and merchant partners, the protocol aims to be secure and easy to adopt, evolving ChatGPT from a discovery tool into one that also facilitates buying.
The user workflow begins when a person asks a shopping-related question, such as “best running shoes under $100.” ChatGPT then shows relevant products from across the web. These results are organic and unsponsored, with rankings based purely on relevance. If a product supports Instant Checkout, a “Buy” button appears. Users can select it, confirm their order, shipping, and payment details, and complete the purchase without leaving the chat. Existing subscribers can use their card on file, while other card and express payment options are also available.
For merchants, ChatGPT acts as a user’s AI agent, securely passing information to the seller. Merchants handle all backend processes, such as orders, payments, and fulfillment, using their existing systems. This ensures merchants retain control of the customer relationship. A small fee is charged to merchants on completed purchases. The service is free for users, does not affect product prices, and does not influence product rankings. When multiple merchants sell the same item, ChatGPT’s algorithm considers availability, price, quality, primary seller status, and whether Instant Checkout is enabled to optimize the user experience.
The Agentic Commerce Protocol was designed to work across different platforms, payment processors, and business types. It allows for quick integration without requiring merchants to change their backend systems. The protocol also ensures merchants remain the merchant of record, controlling fulfillment, returns, support, and customer communication.
When an order is placed, ChatGPT sends the necessary details to the merchant’s backend via the protocol. The merchant can accept or decline the order and process payment and fulfillment as usual. Businesses using Stripe for payments can enable the feature with as little as one line of code. Merchants on other payment processors can participate by using Stripe’s new Shared Payment Token API or by adopting the Delegated Payments Spec within the protocol, all without changing their existing payment provider.
The system incorporates specific trust and security principles. It requires explicit user confirmation at each step before an action is taken. Payments are secured with encrypted tokens authorized only for specific amounts and merchants with user permission. Data sharing is minimized, with only the information needed to complete an order being shared with the merchant, and only with user consent.
Will Gaybrick, President of Technology and Business at Stripe, commented on the development. “Stripe is building the economic infrastructure for AI. That means re-architect today’s commerce systems and creating new AI-powered experiences for billions of people. We’re proud to power Instant Checkout in ChatGPT and co-develop the Agentic Commerce Protocol to help businesses and AI platforms build the future of commerce,” he stated.
The announcement presented the launch as an initial step in a new phase of commerce. The Agentic Commerce Protocol is positioned as a foundational technology for a system where AI serves as a primary interface for product discovery, decision-making, and purchasing, connecting consumers and businesses.
