Imagine that every online shopping experience stops being tiring and becomes precise, fast, and almost equivalent to having a personal advisor who never makes mistakes, never pushes more expensive products, and understands what you need even better than you do.
This is exactly what OpenAI introduced today with its new shopping research feature, already being called one of the biggest changes in the world of digital commerce. And it is more than just another feature – it is a completely new way to make purchasing decisions, powered by artificial intelligence that not only finds information but also understands human needs.
A new era: ChatGPT takes over product research
Until now, users have turned to ChatGPT hundreds of millions of times for advice, trying to figure out the difference between two TVs, which coffee machine is more reliable, or which video camera is worth buying for travel. However, this sea of information, even with AI support, often required additional questions, comparisons, and checks on other websites. OpenAI decided to redesign this process from the ground up – literally.
The new shopping research tool runs on a GPT-5 mini version, specially trained with reinforcement learning for buying situations. This means that the model not only analyzes facts but also learns to behave in the way users actually need: reading reliable sources, processing detailed information, connecting and filtering it, and presenting it in a clear and useful way.
Unlike ordinary AI search tools, this solution is not limited by what it already knows. It actively analyzes context, initiates questions on its own, and helps you clarify your needs. The result is a personal, precise, and objective product research experience.
More than information: a tool that asks questions and thinks
One of the biggest innovations of this feature is its ability to start a real dialogue about your needs. If you are looking for a refrigerator, for instance, the tool will not just list its specifications. It will ask how big your family is, how often you cook, whether low noise levels are important, how much you care about energy consumption, and whether you want a no frost system. If you are asking about a bicycle, it will want to know where you will ride it, what your budget is (for example, 500 USD / 460 EUR / 41,500 INR), and whether you care more about suspension or weight.
This method is especially effective in complex categories where details matter: electronics, beauty, home and garden appliances, kitchen equipment, sports and outdoor goods. These are exactly the areas where people most often get lost among dozens of models, specifications, and manufacturers’ promises – and where AI can neutrally and rationally filter out what is truly important.
Simple questions get quick answers, complex ones get full research
Despite the new capabilities, the tool does not replace the standard ChatGPT response when it comes to very simple facts. If you want to know whether a phone supports wireless charging, the usual reaction will still be faster and more efficient. But when you need comparisons, trade-off analysis, or recommendations based on your usage scenarios, shopping research becomes indispensable and delivers a detailed, visual, and unbiased analysis in just a few minutes.
How does it actually work?
OpenAI has outlined a clear user journey:
You open ChatGPT and ask a question related to a purchase.
If the question is complex, ChatGPT will offer to start a research session.
You can confirm this with a single click.
Alternatively, you can manually choose shopping research from the (+) menu.
Once the research starts, a visual window opens where you can interact, comment, and respond to AI questions.
The tool not only shows products but also constantly asks questions, refines the search, and adjusts recommendations based on your answers. It feels like a conversation with a human consultant who never loses patience and does not miss a single detail.
Memory makes the research even more personal
If you have ChatGPT’s memory feature enabled, your shopping research becomes even more tailored to you. Suppose you are a gaming enthusiast and have previously discussed graphics cards. Later, when you ask about a laptop, ChatGPT will automatically pay less attention to office models and naturally focus more on gaming laptops.
This level of personalization has so far been possible only with a human consultant – and even then, not always.
The feature reaches all users – with almost no limits
The biggest surprise is that OpenAI is making this feature available immediately to all signed-in ChatGPT users: Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. Everyone can enjoy almost unlimited shopping research throughout the holiday season – a clear step ahead of competitors.
Pro users also get an extra benefit: ChatGPT Pulse can proactively suggest personalized buying guides based on previous conversations.
Some experts are already calling this a purchasing revolution that may change how people use traditional Google reviews or YouTube reviews.
