PayPal and OpenAI are taking online shopping to the next level. Users can now ask ChatGPT to find a product — and pay for it — all in one chat.
PayPal announced Tuesday that it’s adopting Agentic Commerce Protocol in partnership with OpenAI. That means ChatGPT users can soon go from conversation to checkout in just a few taps.
“Hundreds of millions of people turn to ChatGPT each week for help with everyday tasks, including finding products they love, and over 400 million use PayPal to shop,” said Alex Chriss, president and CEO of PayPal.
“By partnering with OpenAI and adopting the Agentic Commerce Protocol, PayPal will power payments and commerce experiences that help people go from chat to checkout in just a few taps for our joint customer bases.”
What it means for users
For shoppers, the update means a simpler, faster checkout experience. If a person already uses PayPal and is chatting with ChatGPT, they’ll soon be able to check out instantly — without switching to another app or site.
The integration includes PayPal’s usual buyer and seller protections, post-purchase tracking and dispute resolution. Users can also choose from multiple payment options, including PayPal balance, debit card, credit card or PayPal Credit.
Individual merchants will not need to sign up with OpenAI — PayPal will manage the behind-the-scenes payment processing for sellers already using its services, as first reported by CNBC.
“It’s a whole new paradigm for shopping,” Chriss said. “It’s hard to imagine that agentic commerce isn’t going to be a big part of the future.”
Agentic Commerce Protocol
Agentic Commerce Protocol is essentially a shared “language” that helps AI systems and businesses communicate so transactions can happen smoothly and securely. It allows ChatGPT to understand product details, verify listings and handle payments right in the chat window.
Building on OpenAI’s Instant Checkout
In September, OpenAI launched Instant Checkout for U.S. users — allowing ChatGPT to connect directly with Etsy sellers so shoppers can buy items in-chat. The company also announced that Shopify merchants — including brands like Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx and Vuori — would soon be available.
The latest partnership with PayPal makes that process even smoother for both merchants and buyers, streamlining the final step of conversational shopping.
PayPal’s recent deals with Google and Perplexity suggest the company is positioning itself as a key player in the coming era of agentic AI commerce, where talking to an AI could become the most natural way to shop online.