OpenAI launches AI-powered shopping research tool ahead of holidays
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OpenAI has introduced a new AI-driven shopping research tool designed to help users find products through personalised buyer guides.
Built on a specially trained version of GPT-5 mini, the tool asks clarifying questions in a quiz-like format before generating tailored recommendations.
Unlike traditional buyers’ guides that rely on affiliate links, OpenAI says the tool prioritises trustworthy online reviews, favouring organic user experiences — such as Reddit posts — over paid marketing.
It aggregates reviews from multiple high-quality sources and cites product pages without promoting specific websites.
Accessible via a dedicated “shopping research” button in ChatGPT, the feature guides users through preferences such as budget, size, and colour, and refines suggestions based on “more like this” or “not interested” feedback. It typically recommends 10–15 items and performs best in detail-heavy categories like electronics, beauty, home, kitchen, appliances, and outdoor gear.
OpenAI is offering “nearly unlimited” free usage of the feature to all users through January. The tool is separate from ChatGPT’s in-chat checkout option, currently available only in the US via Stripe.
The company acknowledges challenges in training the model to identify genuine, unpaid reviews and warns that product details may sometimes be inaccurate. Users are encouraged to check final prices and availability directly on merchant websites.