ChatGPT and Gemini are fighting to be the AI bot that sells you stuff
Gemini partners with Gap for checkout, while ChatGPT pivots to visual product comparisons.
The competition to become the primary AI shopping assistant is intensifying between Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT, with both companies deploying distinct strategies. Google is aggressively expanding its commerce ecosystem, announcing a new partnership with Gap Inc. (including Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta). This allows Gemini to suggest and directly purchase items for users, powered by Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and processed through Google Pay, following similar integrations with Walmart and Target.
In contrast, OpenAI is pivoting its approach after internal data revealed disappointing sales from ChatGPT's recently launched built-in checkout feature. Instead of facilitating transactions directly, OpenAI is now focusing on improving the discovery and evaluation phase. The company is rolling out a major update to ChatGPT that enables visual, side-by-side product comparisons with pricing, reviews, and features. This shift aims to make ChatGPT a superior product research tool, with improvements to "speed, relevance, and product coverage" for free and paid users, while reportedly planning to let retailers build their own apps within the platform.
- Google's Gemini partners with Gap Inc. for AI-powered checkout using its Universal Commerce Protocol and Google Pay.
- OpenAI abandons ChatGPT's built-in checkout after poor sales, shifting to visual product comparisons and retailer apps.
- ChatGPT's new update adds side-by-side product views with pricing and reviews, rolling out to all user tiers.
Why It Matters
This battle defines how consumers will discover and buy products using AI, moving commerce beyond traditional search engines.