ChatGPT one-ups Google with AI-driven shopping suggestions and zero ads

What just happened? OpenAI has introduced new shopping features to ChatGPT, enhancing the chatbot's web search capabilities to provide users with personalized product recommendations, images, reviews, and direct purchase links. The enhancement is now available to all users, regardless of whether they are using the free, Plus, or Pro versions of ChatGPT.

The shopping upgrade is integrated into OpenAI's latest AI model, GPT-4o, and comes as ChatGPT's search function has exploded in popularity, according to the company. Users conducted more than a billion web searches through ChatGPT in the past week alone, making search one of the platform's most utilized features.

With the update, users can ask ChatGPT for advice on various shopping categories, including fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics. When a user poses a specific question – such as asking for the "best espresso machine under $200" – ChatGPT responds with a curated list of options ...