OpenAI has introduced a new feature called Shopping Research for ChatGPT, giving the chatbot a more visual and interactive way to help users discover products. The update went live on Monday and arrives just a week after Google rolled out its own shopping upgrades for Gemini and AI Mode in Search. With the holiday season approaching, the race to build smarter AI shopping helpers is picking up fast.
Where It’s Available
OpenAI says the new tool is now available on the web, desktop, and mobile versions of ChatGPT. Logged in users on the Free, Plus, and Pro plans can try it out, and Pro subscribers can also access it through ChatGPT Pulse. The company has mentioned that users will get “nearly unlimited” usage throughout the holiday period so they can make informed purchase decisions without worrying about limits.
How Shopping Research Works
The feature is designed to simplify product discovery by mixing conversational AI with a visual browsing experience. Users can turn it on manually by clicking the plus icon next to the message box and selecting Shopping Research. In some cases, ChatGPT may launch it automatically if it recognizes that the user is looking for shopping help.
Once enabled, a pop up window appears with a set of clarifying questions. These questions help narrow down the exact details the user is looking for. OpenAI says the tool performs especially well in categories like electronics, home and garden, beauty, and appliances where users often want more specific filters.
Refined Suggestions and Final Picks
Based on the answers, ChatGPT builds a curated list of product options. Users can mark items as interested or not interested, allowing the AI to fine tune the recommendations further.
The final result appears as a visual list with product images, key details, and direct links to online stores. For now, Shopping Research only assists with choosing items. It does not handle purchases and does not use AI agents to complete orders or checkout processes.
