Openai, the company behind the popular chatgpt, is preparing a strategic movement that could redefine the landscape of electronic commerce and digital advertising. According to Financial Timesthe company plans Integrate a direct payment system in chatgpt, charging a commission for each sale made Within the platform.
Until now, Chatgpt has established itself as the tool artificial intelligence reference conversational, gradually incorporating new functions of all kinds. One of the last, enabled in March for payment users, was the ability to Show products and redirect users to online stores through links. Thus, Chatgpt offered a selection of products that he considers appropriate for the consultation received and based on other information about the user, such as previous conversations (his “memory”) or any personalized instruction that would have given him, including images, prices, direct links to the purchase and review website.
At that time, Openai explained that the results shown would be neither advertising or ads paid and that the company would not receive any type of purchases. They would simply determine which products to show based on the consultation
Now, that seems to change, radically.
The jump towards the integration of A complete checkout, without leaving chatgptrepresents a deadly jump with double tirabuzón that seeks not only to generate new sources of income for a company that is still looking for its way to profitability, but also position itself as a key actor in Ecommerce.
Sale commissions: the new monetization route for chatgpt
According to the sources consulted, the proposal is clear: The merchants that they want to sell their products directly through chatgpt They will pay an OpenAi commission for each transaction. This opens a new monetization route for the company, which so far depended mainly on subscriptions to its premium services. The free version of Chatgpt, used by millions of people around the world, will thus become a potential income motor.
To facilitate this evolution, Openai has sealed a collaboration with Shopify. With its long experience in payment systems and its ability to integrate purchase functionalities into other platforms (as already do with Tiktok Shop), it will be key for this strategy to take off. Although it has not yet been specified, it would be plausible that with Shopify managing the payments, the OpenAI commission is directly deduced at the time of the transaction, simplifying the process for all parties.
Of course, this new scenario raises many questions about the “preferences” that the AI will show in its results, the potential for disintermediation of traditional advertising agencies and the future of Paid Search. Openai, who has been restructuring his organization towards a profit company, had declared in December that he had no “active plans to seek advertising.” However, recent statements from some of its leaders, such as their CFO Sarah Friar, point to a change of plans, towards a future implementation of advertising or, at least, of affiliation fees for direct sales generated on its platform.
The end of Google reign in the search for products?
Beyond the implications at the business level for OpenAI, this movement represents a direct threat to the traditional Google business model. For years, the Mountain View giant has been The main entrance door for consumers looking for products onlinemonetizing through advertising and clicks. If users begin to trust chatbots of AI as chatgpt to discover and buy products, traffic flow and, of course, Google's advertising income could be seriously affected.
But Openai's strategy is not just a monetization plan: it is a vision of the future where AI not only helps you find information, but accompanies you until the final purchase. If you add your new commitment to Turn the chatbot into an agent who can do it (almost) all for you, autonomously, including purchases, It is clear that Sam Altman's team is laying the foundations for a radical change in the game rules.
For brands, this implies the need to understand how these new channels work and Adapt your content strategies to the new geo paradigm, SEO for generative search engines.
The Ecommerce and Marketing panorama is constantly evolving, and Openai's commitment marks a turning point. Is Chatgpt the next great marketplace, or a complement to existing ones? Only time will say it, but what is undeniable is that the conversation about the future of online purchases has just become much more interesting.
Do you think this Chatgpt integration will radically change the way consumers buy online? How do you think brands should adapt to this new reality?
Image: Flux Schnell
