OpenAI’s ChatGPT shopping feature challenges Google’s ad-driven search model

OpenAI is making a calculated bet that a clean, AI-powered shopping experience can lure users away from Google’s ad-saturated search results, potentially paving the way for a new affiliate-based revenue model that sidesteps traditional online advertising as we know it. The company announced it has begun rolling out new shopping capabilities within ChatGPT search, aiming to make finding and comparing products more conversational and personalized.

The ‘Not Ads’ Gambit: Rolling out globally to Free, Plus, and Pro users of its GPT-4o model, the feature presents product recommendations in visual carousels when user queries suggest shopping intent, complete with images, summarized reviews, pricing information, and direct links to merchant websites for purchase. Crucially, OpenAI emphasizes that these product results “are chosen independently and are not ads,” a clear differentiator aimed at users fatigued by sponsored placements dominating traditional search engines like Google.

Under the Hood: AI Curation Meets Third-Party Data: Rather than relying solely on keywords, ChatGPT assesses user intent based on the query, conversation history, and stored user preferences via its memory feature (for opted-in users), according to OpenAI’s documentation. In a pre-launch demo reported by Wired, ChatGPT search lead Adam Fry highlighted the goal of a more conversational experience, where the AI considers factors like user reviews, stated preferences (e.g., preferred brands or aversion to certain styles), price, and ratings. However, much of the underlying data—product descriptions, pricing, review snippets, and initial merchant listings—comes from unnamed third-party providers, with OpenAI acknowledging that prices may have delays and generated summaries or labels like “Budget-friendly” are AI interpretations, not verified statements.

Flipping the Switch? Affiliate Fees on the Horizon: While the current iteration features no ads or commissions for OpenAI, according to Reuters, the company is leaving the door open for future monetization. TechCrunch reported that CEO Sam Altman previously discussed openness to “tasteful” advertising, potentially involving affiliate fees for purchases originating from ChatGPT, distinct from selling priority placements. Adam Fry also told Wired that OpenAI is focused on user experience first but will be “experimenting with a whole bunch of different ways that this can work” regarding potential affiliate models down the line, mirroring a familiar playbook where platforms build organic usage before introducing monetization, as noted by Adweek.

A Billion Searches Strong: Betting on Momentum: OpenAI’s push into shopping leverages significant existing traction. The company claims its search feature is seeing rapid growth, fielding over one billion web searches in the past week alone, a figure cited by PYMNTS.com. This built-in user activity provides a substantial foundation for introducing commerce features and challenging established players.

Beyond Google: Rattling the E-commerce Ecosystem: The implications extend beyond the direct competition with Google Shopping and rival AI search tools like Perplexity, which launched its own shopping features last year. The move raises questions for online publishers, as discussed by Wired, whose affiliate revenue often relies on users clicking through from detailed reviews—a step potentially bypassed by ChatGPT’s summaries and direct merchant links. Furthermore, OpenAI’s current reliance on third-party feeds for merchant data, while planning to explore direct merchant submissions later according to its help site, highlights the evolving dynamics of product visibility and data control in an AI-mediated marketplace.