OpenAI has launched a global update to ChatGPT that lets users virtually try on clothing and accessories.
The announcement came on Thursday alongside a new function to save products to a library for later. These tools arrive as OpenAI attempts to find a stable role for its conversational AI in consumer shopping, after earlier attempts at instant checkout failed to gain traction.
Recent moves by agentic AI startups like Instinct have drawn criticism for pushing product recommendations that felt more like advertising than helpful guidance. OpenAI claims its new features rely on the recently released ChatGPT Images 2.5 model, which the company states offers better lighting, richer textures, and faster generation speeds.
Virtual try-on
The new Try On button appears within ChatGPT’s shopping results. Users can upload a selfie or a full-body photo to see how an item fits. Alternatively, they can upload a screenshot of a product and ask the assistant to visualise it on them.
Saving items
The Favorites option allows users to store discovered products in an app library. OpenAI notes that these saved items will be kept alongside any try-on images the user generates.
Other shopping functions
Users can also describe a desired style and ask the assistant to source the necessary pieces. Another option involves uploading photos of celebrity outfits to identify and purchase the specific items being worn.
This capability moves the assistant into territory previously dominated by Pinterest and Google as sources for fashion discovery and sales conversion.
What it means
Whether ChatGPT becomes a primary tool for this activity remains uncertain. Google introduced its own virtual try-on feature last year, and OpenAI must now compete with established players in the fashion search space.
