OpenAI introduces digital wallet for ChatGPT
OpenAI is partnering with American Express, Mastercard and Visa to offer a new digital wallet for shopping agents.
OpenAI is introducing ChatGPT Wallet, a secure digital wallet based on its ChatGPT conversational agentic AI chatbot. According to OpenAI, it is the first wallet that lets artificial intelligence agents pay without access to users’ card details and requires a security check for every purchase.
Built in partnership with American Express, Mastercard and Visa, ChatGPT Wallet will initially be available through “dots” (always-on ChatGPT agents that run on dedicated clouds and perform persistent background tasks) for subscribers to the ChatGPT Pro paid professional membership tier in the U.S.
[READ MORE: Here’s how consumers want to use AI shopping assistants]
How it works
Users add a payment card to ChatGPT Wallet once, then approve each purchase without re-entering their payment details. Before each purchase, the user reviews the items, total and selected card, then approves it with a security check such as facial identification or a fingerprint scan. Each approval creates a record of the purchase the user authorized the agent to make.
After the user approves, the payment network provides a payment token (a substitute for the user’s actual card details) with a card number, security code, and expiration date. The payment is charged to their selected card without ChatGPT Wallet sharing their actual card details with the business or agent.
Users keep their card’s existing rewards and protections for eligible disputes with businesses and transact directly with businesses, which keeps their customer relationships and control over pricing, fulfillment, returns and customer service.
Over time, OpenAI says it expects users to be able to delegate purchases entirely to their agent by setting clear parameters—such as spending limits, purchase categories, or time periods—and pre-approve those purchases with enhanced safeguards that build on current protections, including biometric checks and clear records of authorization.
To accept payment from ChatGPT Wallet, websites need to ensure agents are not inadvertently blocked, and payment and risk systems need to recognize legitimate purchases made by agents. OpenAI says it starting with limited availability to ChatGPT Pro users so it can learn from real-world use and work with businesses, banks, and payment networks to improve compatibility and reliability and expand availability.
OpenAI is also publishing a Commerce Partner Playbook with tools and practical guidance to help businesses support customers using agents through their existing websites and systems. It covers making product information available, ensuring agent access, and working with payment and risk providers to reduce declines.
