On Friday, OpenAI rolled out a new ChatGPT Wallet feature that allows its agentic assistants—called dots—to help users choose purchases and complete transactions on their behalf.
Who can use it
The option is initially available to a limited group of U.S. ChatGPT Pro subscribers, aged 18 and older, who have a U.S.-issued Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card. Subscribers add an eligible card to the ChatGPT Wallet once; they do not need to re-enter payment details for subsequent purchases.
How purchases work and security measures
OpenAI says users remain in full control of purchases. Before checkout, the dot shows the items, the total cost, and which card will be charged. The user must then approve the purchase directly with a security check such as Face ID or a fingerprint, which also creates a record of the transaction.
Payment tokenization and merchant data
When a transaction is executed, the ChatGPT Wallet charges the selected card using a payment token, which substitutes for the actual card details so those numbers are not shared with the dot or the merchant. The dot provides the merchant with required fulfillment information—shipping address and contact details—so the order can be completed.
Rewards and dispute protections
OpenAI notes that customers shopping through their dots will still be able to earn their credit card rewards and retain typical card protections, including the ability to dispute transactions.
Market context and future plans
The launch comes as consumer-facing AI tools experiment with how to add value to everyday tasks. Companies such as DoorDash and Uber have reported relatively low volumes of orders placed by AI agents so far, while Meta’s Muse—now with over 10 million users—has seen AI-assisted shopping become a leading activity. Other personal AI agents, including Instinct, also support making purchases on behalf of users.
OpenAI says the limited rollout will let it test and refine the feature before broader availability. The company plans to give users more control in future updates, for example by allowing spending limits or configurations by purchase category or time window, enabling pre-approved purchases that agents could then handle more autonomously.
Retailer compatibility and challenges
OpenAI also aims to expand support to a wider set of retailers, but notes this could face obstacles where merchants block AI agents from using their sites. The announcement calls out Amazon as the largest retailer to block AI agents from shopping on its platform, reportedly in favor of steering users toward its own agent, Alexa.
Supporting merchants
To help retailers adapt to agent-enabled commerce, OpenAI published a Commerce Partner Playbook with tools and guidance for sites that want to support customers who use agents.
Summary
The ChatGPT Wallet introduces agentic shopping for a restricted set of U.S. users today, with tokenized payments, biometric approval, and merchant fulfillment support. OpenAI plans gradual expansion and additional user controls while providing resources to merchants to support agent-driven purchases.
