In the latest advancement combining artificial intelligence (AI) with payment solutions, OpenAI plans to integrate a payments checkout feature into ChatGPT.

Growing Payments Integrations

This integration reflects a trend where AI chatbots are increasingly capable of performing transactions. Perplexity has also announced that its subscribers will be able to make direct payments within its AI interface, thanks to PayPal’s support for both PayPal and Venmo payment methods.

The Rush Toward Agentic Commerce

Moving forward, Visa and Mastercard have launched agentic commerce platforms aimed at making AI agents full-scale shopping assistants. These platforms handle all aspects of a transaction, including payments, with minimal customer interaction.

While these advancements present opportunities, they also raise concerns, particularly regarding the risks associated with inaccuracies and hallucinations. In Perplexity and ChatGPT models, however, users retain control over final payment decisions. Nonetheless, privacy and security remain key concerns as potential bad actors might exploit these nascent AI technologies.

While skepticism is warranted, this trend is inevitable,” said James Wester, Co-Head of Payments at Javelin Strategy & Research. Our inability to imagine why something would be done should not limit our understanding of where it could go.”

Wester emphasized the importance of approaching this development with an open mind and recognizing its significant impact on the entire industry.

Conclusion

The integration of payments in AI platforms signals a shift towards more seamless and autonomous shopping experiences. As these technologies evolve, it is crucial for stakeholders to address both the benefits and potential risks associated with this trend.