Competition for Google: ChatGPT advises on shopping
AI giant OpenAI is adding another function to its chatbot. ChatGPT will now suggest relevant products to users and - unlike Google - will not refer to advertising.
ChatGPT is getting a new function. With the latest update, the chatbot is intended to assist users as a shopping assistant, as OpenAI reports. To this end, ChatGPT searches structured metadata from third-party providers, such as price information or product descriptions, and provides users with suitable articles for their inquiries.
According to OpenAI, the chatbot spits out suitable products including images depending on the requirements in a query - for example, preferences in size or color - and generates product descriptions or labels such as "budget-friendly". When clicking on the products, ChatGPT displays several suppliers - so far without sorting them according to categories such as price or shopping policies.
One thing distinguishes the AI assistant from the Google search engine: "The products are selected independently by ChatGPT and are not advertising," writes OpenAI in a Blogpost. How The Verge reports, the company is working with partners to ensure that current prices are displayed. However, OpenAI does not specify which partners are involved.
The roll-out of the new function will start on May 29 for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Free and all non-logged-in users, as OpenAI announced on the short message platform X. (Dajana Dakic/jor)
