Grocery shopping is becoming more conversational as OpenAI and Instacart introduce a new shopping experience that allows groceries to be purchased directly inside ChatGPT. The integration enables users to brainstorm meal ideas, create tailored grocery lists, and complete checkout without ever leaving the chat interface, reducing the need to move between apps or browser tabs.
The experience is designed to feel natural and intuitive, closely mirroring how people already think about food and shopping. A simple conversation can begin with questions about what to cook for the week, factor in dietary needs or budget limits, and automatically translate those ideas into an Instacart-ready shopping cart. Once the list looks right, checkout happens within the same conversation, streamlining a process that usually involves multiple steps and platforms.
This launch builds on a partnership that began more than two years ago, when Instacart first adopted ChatGPT technology for an in-app AI search feature. That earlier tool helped users answer common questions such as what to make for dinner, how to swap ingredients, or how to shop around specific dietary restrictions. The latest collaboration goes much further by moving the entire shopping flow into ChatGPT itself, turning conversational guidance into direct action.
The relationship between the two companies has continued to strengthen over time, particularly after former Instacart CEO Fidji Simo—already a member of OpenAI’s board—joined OpenAI as CEO of Applications earlier this year. Her move reinforced the strategic importance of consumer-facing tools and commerce-driven use cases within ChatGPT’s expanding ecosystem.
The Instacart integration also reflects OpenAI’s growing focus on agentic commerce, a model in which AI tools not only assist with research but actively help complete purchases. At a recent developer event, OpenAI highlighted plans to embed apps and services directly into ChatGPT. Early demonstrations featured integrations with platforms such as Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow. Since then, partnerships have expanded to include major retailers and financial software providers, signaling a broad push to make ChatGPT an everyday utility rather than a standalone chatbot.
This shift comes as AI-assisted shopping gains traction across the tech industry. In the lead-up to the holiday season, multiple AI companies have released tools that help consumers compare products, evaluate deals, and narrow choices based on specific needs. Instead of manually browsing reviews and price listings, users can ask targeted questions and receive curated recommendations within seconds. Adobe has forecast that AI-influenced online shopping could surge by more than 500% during the holiday period, driven by convenience and personalization.
Despite its explosive growth in users, OpenAI is still searching for sustainable profitability. Operating ChatGPT requires vast computing resources, and subscription fees alone have not fully covered those costs. Commerce integrations like Instacart offer a potential new revenue stream, with OpenAI taking a small, undisclosed fee when AI-assisted interactions lead to a completed sale. However, generating meaningful revenue would require significant adoption of ChatGPT-based shopping at scale.
Even with those challenges, the ability to buy Instacart groceries without leaving ChatGPT marks an important moment for conversational commerce. As AI continues to evolve from an advisory tool into an active participant in transactions, shopping, planning, and purchasing are increasingly merging into a single, continuous conversation.
