ChatGPT Will Soon Let You Pay With PayPal

A New Era of Conversational Commerce

In a significant move bridging artificial intelligence and e-commerce, PayPal and OpenAI are joining forces. According to an official announcement, PayPal, which also owns the popular payment service Venmo, will embed its digital payment wallet directly into the ChatGPT platform starting next year. This partnership is set to introduce a novel way for users to purchase products directly through the generative AI bot.

Seamless Checkout from Chat to Purchase

The integration aims to streamline the online shopping experience. When a user interacts with the AI chatbot to search for a product, they will be presented with an option to complete the purchase using their PayPal account. For added flexibility, a “pay another way” feature will also be available, allowing transactions via a traditional credit card, debit card, or bank account. Alex Chriss, the President and CEO of PayPal, stated that this collaboration will enable their shared customer base to "go from chat to checkout in just a few taps."

Unlocking a New Marketplace for Merchants

This deal, initially reported by CNBC, opens up a new and powerful sales channel for tens of millions of PayPal merchants. Businesses in sectors ranging from apparel and beauty to home improvement and electronics will gain access to the vast audience of ChatGPT users. PayPal highlighted the potential in its statement, noting, "This integration will make millions of products discoverable and purchasable through ChatGPT."

The Scale of the Partnership

The collaboration leverages the massive user bases of both companies. As of the end of 2024, PayPal reported having 434 million active consumer and merchant accounts globally. By integrating with one of the world's most popular AI platforms, PayPal is poised to significantly expand its presence in the burgeoning field of AI-driven commerce. OpenAI has not yet provided a comment on the partnership.