Payment leader Visa announced that it has integrated its payment system within ChatGPT, enabling the chatbot to autonomously shop and finalize transactions for its user.

This means AI agents cannot just suggest products but also finalize the purchase for the user at almost any retailer that accepts Visa. The payment network's earlier efforts to achieve this technological advancement were limited to one retailer or a few participating merchants.

This isn't the initial effort by OpenAI in ecommerce. Late last year, the company revealed Instant Checkout, enabling ChatGPT to search the internet for a particular item similar to a digital personal shopper.

However, the method was susceptible to mistakes and wasn't broadly embraced by retailers because of the fees that OpenAI imposed on them. The company discontinued Instant Checkout in March.

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Visa's partnership stands apart from OpenAI's earlier efforts, as it enables users to connect their Visa cards to ChatGPT for shopping and simplifies transaction acceptance for merchants initiated by agents.

OpenAI will deliver the technology that enables agents to communicate, make choices, and begin transactions via ChatGPT. Visa, the biggest payment network globally excluding China, will offer the necessary payment authorization and fraud monitoring to implement this on a large scale.

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"With AI agents taking an active role in the economy, Visa aims to guarantee that transactions are reliable, safe, and effortless," stated Jack Forestell, Visa's chief product and strategy officer.

Forestell provided an instance of a user informing ChatGPT they seek a set of wireless earbuds priced below $150. The chatbot would locate a pair available for purchase within those criteria and acquire it for the customer.

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Visa and OpenAI kept the financial aspects of their partnership confidential and did not reveal specifics regarding the charges that merchants or customers would incur.

Instant Checkout imposed a 4percent fee on the transaction value, which merchants considered excessive.