Kathmandu. Artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI has introduced a new feature to ‘Instant Checkout’ in its chatbot ChatGPT. With this development, ChatGPT has now transformed from a conversation-based AI to a personal shopping assistant, which allows users to purchase products right in the chat interface. This initiative is sure to impact the future of online shopping and AI-driven commerce even in markets like Nepal.Agentic Protocol and Simplicity of Shopping This new ‘direct payment’ feature of ChatGPT is powered by the open source Agent Commerce Protocol developed in collaboration with the financial technology company Stripe.
Currently available to users in the US, this feature has emphasized seamless purchases with millions of merchants on platforms like Etsy and soon Shopify. Users can search for products directly in the chat, see relevant results, and complete the purchase process without exiting the chat.
Nepali Market and Business Opportunities
This innovation of OpenAI for Nepal’s growing internet market has the potential to restructure consumer behavior.
Business Competition: This is likely to motivate Nepali online sellers to incorporate AI tools and conversational commerce into their business to stay competitive.
Local Development:The open source nature of the protocol provides local developers with the opportunity to build AI commerce solutions tailored to the needs of Nepali consumers and merchants.OpenAI has adopted a model of charging low fees for successful transactions and keeping the service free for users.
According to experts, it is expected to challenge traditional search engines and large ad-based companies by engaging users on AI platforms.
Conclusion
This shopping feature included in ChatGPT highlights the need for Nepal’s media, businesses, and stakeholders to focus on how AI-driven commerce is reshaping local shopping habits, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship opportunities. This could prove to be a significant change in the future of Nepal’s e-commerce.
