ChatGPT adds shopping help, intensifying Google rivalry

by · YEN.com.gh News · Join
OpenAI is making its ChatGPT online search tool more appealing to shoppers as it faces criticism over its decision to shift to a for-profit structure from its original establishment as a nonprofit entity. Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: NOW You can COMMENT on our articles on the YEN website! Learn how to get started.

OpenAI announced Monday that ChatGPT is now helping users find products online, enhancing its challenge to Google amid regulatory pressure on the search giant's market dominance.

The new shopping capability further blurs the line between AI chatbots and search engines, signaling OpenAI's ambition to compete with Google in a market the latter has controlled for decades.

"Search has become one of our most popular and fastest growing features, with over 1 billion web searches just in the past week," the San Francisco-based company said in a post on X.

Rolled out on Monday, the update allows shoppers to find and compare items through natural conversation, then connect directly to merchants for purchases.

"Instead of scrolling through pages of results, you can simply start a conversation," OpenAI's post said, adding that users could also ask follow-up questions or compare products.

ChatGPT's shopping feature initially focuses on fashion, beauty, and home electronics categories. Product recommendations are personalized and come from the web, not advertisements, OpenAI said.

Empty shelves? US Treasury secretary not concerned 'at present'US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday he was not concerned "at present" about American stores potentially running out of items due to Donald Trump's tariffs. Asked during an interview with Fox News if he was concerned about mounting worries of empty shelves due to the tariffs, Bessent replied: "Not at present."by  AFP, 28 Apr 2025

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!

To counter increasing competition from AI chatbots, Google has integrated its own Gemini assistant into search results, providing AI-generated answers above traditional website links.

The rivalry intensified last week when an OpenAI executive testified the company would consider purchasing Chrome if Google were forced to sell the browser as part of an ongoing US antitrust case.

Source: AFP