Is Your Next Smartphone Decision Secretly Controlled by ChatGPT? You Won’t Believe What Happens Next!

OpenAI is stepping into the holiday shopping season with a new feature for its ChatGPT platform, named Shopping Research. This innovative tool aims to streamline the often overwhelming process of product comparison and selection, providing users with a personalized shopping assistant at their fingertips. Instead of sifting through countless websites, users can now simply describe their desired product—be it the quietest cordless vacuum, a bike comparison, or a perfect gift for a four-year-old—and receive a comprehensive, tailored buyer’s guide.

Starting today, the Shopping Research feature is available for all logged-in users, whether they are on the Free, Go, Plus, or Pro plans. In a nod to the upcoming holiday shopping rush, OpenAI is allowing nearly unlimited usage of this feature across all plans throughout the season, making it easier than ever for consumers to make informed purchases.

But how does it work? The system engages users by asking clarifying questions to narrow down their preferences. It scans the web for up-to-date product details and draws from reliable sources to create a personalized guide. If ChatGPT Memory is enabled, the assistant can tailor its recommendations based on past interactions, making it a more intuitive shopping experience.

With hundreds of millions already relying on ChatGPT for product comparisons, the introduction of Shopping Research represents a significant enhancement. Previously, responses were somewhat limited by the speed at which information could be gathered and the depth of detail a user might request. Shopping Research introduces a structured, multi-step evaluation process, which can be particularly beneficial for categories with complex specifications and trade-offs, such as electronics, home appliances, beauty products, and fitness gear.

This marks one of the first substantial applications of GPT-5 mini, a version specifically trained for shopping tasks using reinforcement learning. This advanced version is optimized to read product pages, cite sources, and synthesize details across multiple websites, enabling it to deliver comprehensive and accurate recommendations.

If you've ever spent hours comparing products—reading reviews, checking specifications, and making lists—this feature could transform your shopping experience. By simply describing your needs and answering a few clarifying questions, ChatGPT can return a buyer’s guide filled with personalized recommendations, differences, trade-offs, pricing, and availability. As users interact with the suggestions, employing prompts like "More like this" or "Not interested," the research evolves in real time. Moreover, because user conversations are not shared with retailers, the recommendations remain impartial and tailored to individual preferences.

Looking ahead, OpenAI plans to broaden the scope of Shopping Research, expanding its reach to more product categories and enhancing personalization as ChatGPT learns user preferences. Plans include deeper integration with ChatGPT Pulse for Pro users, potentially surfacing proactive recommendations for accessories related to previously discussed items. The company also envisions future updates that would allow for direct purchases through ChatGPT with participating merchants using Instant Checkout.

As OpenAI refines local citations and improves source accuracy, Shopping Research has the potential to evolve into one of the most comprehensive AI-powered shopping assistants available. The company indicates that this is just the beginning of redefining how consumers discover and compare products online, placing power back into the hands of shoppers who often feel overwhelmed by choices.

With the holiday season approaching, this feature could fundamentally change how American consumers approach their shopping, making it easier and less time-consuming to find exactly what they need. As technology continues to evolve, so too do the tools available to consumers, promising a more personalized and efficient shopping experience than ever before.