OpenAI has scrapped the Instant Checkout feature, opting instead to redirect users to retailers' websites to complete their purchases, according to The Information.

The AI startup launched Instant Checkout in September 2025, allowing users to confirm orders, delivery, and payment without leaving ChatGPT.

Retailers like Etsy, Walmart, and Shopify quickly integrated the solution, enabling customers to complete payments directly within the chatbot. Shopify President Harley Finkelstein referred to it as a "new frontier" in online retail.

“OpenAI underestimated how challenging it would be to implement transactions. On one hand, it’s somewhat surprising, but on the other hand, it’s not easy for retailers either,” noted Bob Hetu, an analyst at research and consulting firm Gartner.

Forrester's chief analyst, Emily Pfeiffer, emphasized that onboarding retailers was a complex process, and Instant Checkout frequently encountered errors.

OpenAI could have utilized data from retailers' websites for product information, but details on availability, delivery times, and pricing were often inaccurate or outdated.

An OpenAI representative stated that the company has made it a priority to enhance product search and discovery within the chatbot.

“Instant Checkout is transitioning to an Apps format, where purchases will be more seamless,” he noted.

Shopify highlighted that new e-commerce functionalities will be introduced in ChatGPT. Customers will still be able to find products from retailers within the chatbot, but the checkout process will be completed on the retailers' own platforms.

“Three in One”

OpenAI is transforming ChatGPT into a "super app"—a unified ecosystem for the Codex programming assistant, the Atlas browser, and the chatbot. These three products will be integrated into a single desktop application.

“We realized we were spreading our efforts too thin across too many programs and technologies. We need to simplify our work,” said Fiji Simo, head of OpenAI's applications division.

She added that fragmentation had "slowed down and hindered achieving the desired level of quality."

It was previously reported that OpenAI plans to integrate the video generator Sora into ChatGPT.

The super app will focus on agent-based AI—a system that not only answers questions but autonomously performs tasks on a computer. It can write code, analyze data, and browse the internet.

The idea is that ChatGPT serves as the "entry point," while Codex and Atlas will provide a working environment without the need to switch between windows.

Simo described Anthropic's recent success in attracting users as a "wake-up call."

The mobile version of OpenAI's app will continue to operate unchanged. The strategy is focused on desktop users, developers, advanced users, and corporate clients.

Recall that in March 2026, OpenAI integrated the music recognition service Shazam into ChatGPT.