ChatGPT and Shopify Join Forces: The New Era of AI-Powered E-commerce
The world of e-commerce is about to undergo a revolutionary development. With a new shopping experience built into ChatGPT, OpenAI and Shopify are establishing the foundation for AI-powered commerce. It appears that a native purchase flow is being developed based on new code strings found in ChatGPT’s public assets. A direct handoff to Shopify’s hosted checkout system is indicated by elements like “buy_now,” price and shipping fields, product ratings, and a “shopify_checkout_url.”
What’s Changing from Chat to Checkout?
With this new feature, users will be able to view and purchase products directly within ChatGPT—without ever leaving the chat window. As a result, ChatGPT becomes a fully functional shopping assistant rather than just a conversational assistant.
Implications for Merchants
This development gives thousands of Shopify-using businesses instant access to millions of ChatGPT users without requiring any further integration. Increased conversion rates, improved brand awareness, and the shift to AI-powered marketing flows are all made possible by this.
The AI Competition Heats Up
Additionally, this action indicates heightened competition in AI-powered business. The Copilot Merchant Program was introduced by Microsoft on April 18, 2025. In late 2024, Perplexity launched its “Buy with Pro” feature. Conversely, OpenAI has been experimenting with e-commerce features using its Operator agent, which already manages travel and grocery shopping.
Shopify’s Strategic Action
Shopify is also not surprised by this integration. The company’s move towards an AI-first strategy was made evident when CEO Tobi Lütke wrote, “Hire an AI before you hire a human,” in an internal memo dated April 7.
In conclusion
The partnership between OpenAI and Shopify has the potential to change how e-commerce develops in the future. It offers consumers a smooth, AI-powered shopping experience. It provides a strong new distribution channel with little hassle for retailers. E-commerce now takes place within conversations rather than only on desktops or mobile devices.
