ChatGPT got an upgrade for the holidays: meet your new personal shopper.

Imagine walking into a department store with a personal shopper. You’ve seen them in movies. Someone who listens, understands your tastes, compares prices, and quietly does all the legwork so you don´t have to.

Now imagine having that same experience from your sofa, with a café con leche in hand, without queues, crowds, or the pressure of sales staff. OpenAI’s new shopping feature in ChatGPT, which was launched right before the busiest season for buying goods of the year, aims to replicate that experience.

A personal shopper at your fingertips

ChatGPT includes a new shopping research tool, which turns the AI into an intelligent personal shopper. Users can ask simple questions instead of searching through endless reviews or comparison charts. or “What can I buy for Christmas for under £50?” ChatGPT compares prices and specifications from trusted review sites and retailers, then produces a set of tailored recommendations.

The assistant will act more like a human adviser than a list of links. The assistant asks you questions about your budget and style preferences. It will adjust instantly if you say “that’s too expensive” or “I need something smaller”. It will then make a selection that is tailored to your specific needs.

Who can access the new tool and how?

All users logged in will be able to access the feature, even those who are using the free version. The core shopping tool is available to all users, including those on paid plans like Go, Plus and Pro. The mobile app and web version make it easy to browse at home and on the go.

One limitation is worth mentioning. ChatGPT doesn’t handle the final sale. You are directed to the retailer’s website, but the final purchase is completed by you as per usual. This is a good way to keep things simple, and it avoids the worries that can come with AI platforms offering one-click purchasing.

Black Friday: Just in Time

The timing couldn’t have been better. Black Friday has become one of Europe’s largest shopping events, but can also be difficult to sort out the genuine bargains from the clever advertising. ChatGPT is now able to act as the filter.

ChatGPT will help you compare products, find the best value, and explain if a discount advertised is really worth it. This is especially useful for home appliances, tech, and other categories that can have confusing specifications. Before you buy anything, you will already have a good idea of what you’re looking at.

The festive helping hand at Christmas

This feature is also available as Christmas approaches. Gift ideas can be difficult to come up with, especially when it comes to relatives who have everything. ChatGPT helps narrow down the choices by suggesting thoughtful gifts based on age or interests.

It’s like having a personal shopper to discuss ideas and refine the recommendations. This tool will help you to find the perfect gift, whether it’s a funky stocking-filler, a cheap gadget or something more meaningful.

Shopping assistant or digital snooper?

It’s a nice update for those who are tired of browsing websites and the yearly dilemma about what to purchase. For those who don’t enjoy window shopping or browsing endlessly, this is a great way to do the job.

As always, AI has a few things that you should be aware of. As the feature becomes more popular, users may begin to wonder if commercial partners could influence recommendations or blur advice from advertising. Of course, the question is how much personal information users are comfortable disclosing when seeking tailored shopping advice. Were we willing to share the details of all our family members and friends, and what would be possible with this data?

ChatGPT is a feature that will be well received by millions of users. However, the AI Shopping feature may need to be used with caution.