Gemini Adds Gap Checkout as ChatGPT Drops Built-In Version
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- Google partnered with Gap Inc to let its Gemini AI assistant purchase clothes from Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta on users' behalf, using Google's Universal Commerce Protocol and Google Pay at checkout while Gap handles shipping.
- Gap joins Walmart and Target as retailers enabling direct purchases through Gemini, all powered by the same UCP standard.
- OpenAI confirmed it is walking away from a built-in checkout feature it launched in ChatGPT just months ago, with a Walmart executive telling Wired that the sales results "have been disappointing."
- OpenAI is now planning to let retailers launch their own apps within ChatGPT instead, according to reports from The Information and CNBC.
- ChatGPT gained a visual side-by-side product comparison feature showing pricing, reviews, and features, alongside OpenAI's stated improvements in "speed, relevance, and product coverage" for shopping queries.
- The ChatGPT shopping update is rolling out to free, Go, Plus, and Pro users this week.
Why it matters: Google gains a clear lead in AI-assisted checkout, adding Gap to Walmart and Target on Gemini while OpenAI abandons the direct-checkout model just months after launch. OpenAI's pivot to in-chat retailer apps and product comparison features suggests it's conceding transaction ownership while still chasing shopping mindshare.
