On Friday, OpenAI launched a wallet feature that allows its AI agents, known as dots, to make purchases on behalf of users. The tool is currently available to a select group of ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the United States who are at least 18 years old and hold a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express issued in the country.
OpenAI states that users retain full control over every transaction. Before a purchase completes, the system displays the items selected, the total cost, and the payment card to be used. Users must then approve the action using a security check, such as Face ID or a fingerprint, which generates a record of the transaction.
This development arrives as consumer AI tools attempt to find the right product-market fit by helping people complete tasks more efficiently. While DoorDash and Uber have reported low numbers of orders placed by AI agents, Meta’s Muse, which now has over 10 million users, has seen AI-assisted shopping become a top activity on its app. Other personal AI agents, including Instinct, also support making purchases for users.
OpenAI wants to enter this space with an agentic shopping feature of its own.
How it works
Subscribers add their eligible payment cards to the new ChatGPT Wallet, then ask their dot to help with a purchase. This setup is a one-time process; users do not have to re-enter their payment information every time they buy something. When a transaction occurs, the Wallet charges the selected card using a payment token. This substitute for actual card details ensures that information is not shared with either the dot or the merchant.
The merchant automatically receives the necessary details to fulfil the order from the dot, such as the shipping address and contact information. OpenAI notes that customers who shop via their dots will still be able to earn credit card rewards and take advantage of protections typically associated with cards, including the ability to dispute transactions.
The limited availability at launch allows OpenAI to test and improve the feature and its capabilities before rolling it out more broadly. In the future, the company plans to offer users more control by allowing them to set spending limits or configure other parameters around purchase categories or time periods. This would enable users to pre-approve purchases their agent can then handle more autonomously.
OpenAI also aims to make the agentic shopping feature an option at a broader number of supported retailers. This could be difficult in some areas where retailers block AI agents from using their sites. On the shopping front, the largest retailer to ban AI agents is Amazon, as it aims to steer users to its own AI agent, Alexa, instead.
To help retailers adapt to agentic commerce, OpenAI published a Commerce Partner Playbook. This document offers tools and guidance to sites that want to support customers using agents.
What it means
For now, the feature is restricted to a specific demographic and relies on explicit user approval for every single purchase. While the technology allows for hands-off shopping, the current safeguards prevent the AI from spending money without direct human intervention. Future updates may allow for more autonomous spending within set boundaries, but that capability is not yet available.
