OpenAI has introduced a free AI-powered shopping research tool designed to generate personalized buying guides for ChatGPT users during the holiday season. While ChatGPT has always been capable of answering shopping-related queries, OpenAI has now fine-tuned a GPT-5 mini model specifically for this purpose. This enhanced version asks clarifying questions and sources answers from higher-quality review websites vetted by the company.
For instance, user experiences shared on platforms like Reddit may prove more reliable than paid marketing content or reviews on product pages, according to OpenAI representatives. The tool does not prioritize specific websites when providing product links, distinguishing it from conventional affiliate-linked shopping guides.
The new feature operates differently from ChatGPT's standard text interactions. Users can access a dedicated "Shopping Research" button within the chat interface and describe their needs—such as "finding a compact sofa for a studio apartment" or "selecting a gift for an art-loving 4-year-old niece." Instead of immediate responses, the tool engages in Q&A dialogues to gather additional parameters like budget, color preferences, and size requirements.
During its web research process, the tool progressively suggests 10-15 products, allowing users to refine results by selecting "More like this" or "Not interested." This launch comes as competition intensifies in the chatbot sector, with OpenAI expanding ChatGPT's capabilities to attract broader adoption. Recent weeks have seen the introduction of group chat functionality, free versions for U.S. K-12 teachers, and a ChatGPT-integrated web browser.
The shopping domain represents particularly fierce competition, with OpenAI and rivals like Perplexity AI vying to integrate AI tools into consumer purchasing journeys—potentially unlocking new revenue streams. However, OpenAI currently isn't monetizing the shopping research feature directly, offering "near-unlimited usage" to all free and paid plan members through January.
This tool operates separately from OpenAI's Stripe-powered in-chat checkout system for U.S. purchases from select Etsy and Shopify merchants. It aggregates reviews across the internet while citing links to product pages or review sites, without sharing user chat histories with retailers.
OpenAI notes the shopping assistant performs "exceptionally well" for detail-intensive categories like electronics, beauty products, home goods, gardening equipment, kitchenware, appliances, and outdoor gear. For simpler queries like price checks or hardware specifications, users are advised to stick with standard ChatGPT searches, as the research tool may require several minutes to compile recommendations.
The company acknowledges the tool's limitations, with Shopping Research Lead Isa Fulford admitting that training models to critically identify objective, unpaid, or authentic user reviews remains "a significantly challenging task." OpenAI researcher Manuka Stratta emphasized prioritizing organic content sources like Reddit over paid marketing material during model training. Users are reminded to verify critical details like pricing and availability directly on merchant websites, as the tool "may make errors regarding product specifics."
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