According to the latest report from the Financial Times, OpenAI is fully expanding its e-commerce capabilities, planning to directly sell products through the ChatGPT platform and take a commission. This move not only opens up a new revenue stream for OpenAI but could also have a profound impact on the entire e-commerce industry.
Currently, OpenAI has started showcasing products on ChatGPT and provides redirect links that guide users to online retailers. More excitingly, the company partnered with the payment platform Shopify in April and is exploring integrating the checkout system into ChatGPT. This way, users can complete shopping transactions directly within ChatGPT, while merchants can receive orders and fulfill shipments through this platform, and OpenAI will collect a commission.
This e-commerce feature marks an important shift in OpenAI's business strategy. The company previously mainly relied on paid subscription services as a source of revenue, but now by earning commissions from product sales, OpenAI will be able to effectively tap into the profit potential of free ChatGPT users. This shift means that even non-paying users can contribute to OpenAI's revenue.
In addition, the launch of this new feature poses further threats to Google's business model. More and more consumers are turning to AI chatbots for product searches and discovery, and OpenAI's new strategy is sure to attract more user attention to ChatGPT, thus enhancing its market competitiveness.
It is worth noting that this feature is still under development, and specific details may change. However, insiders have revealed that OpenAI has already shown early versions to partners, including Shopify, and discussed related financial terms. Shopify's checkout technology can be seamlessly integrated into other online services and has already collaborated with social media platforms like TikTok to support their shopping features.
In conclusion, OpenAI's exploration of e-commerce is full of potential, and how it develops in the future is closely watched.