San Francisco: OpenAI has announced the launch of ChatGPT Wallet, a payment feature designed to let AI agents make purchases on behalf of users without accessing their actual card details. The system requires users to review and approve every transaction through a security check before payment is completed.
The wallet has been developed in partnership with American Express, Mastercard and Visa, OpenAI said on Friday. The company plans to make it initially available in the United States to eligible ChatGPT Pro subscribers aged 18 and above who have US-issued payment cards.
ChatGPT Wallet will be accessible through Dots, OpenAI’s always-on AI agents. The feature is intended to make it easier for users to delegate shopping and payment-related tasks to AI while retaining control over individual transactions.
How ChatGPT Wallet will work
The wallet is designed to allow an AI agent to handle the payment process without being given direct access to a user’s card information.
Before a purchase is completed, users will be able to review the items they intend to buy, the total amount and the payment card selected for the transaction.
They must then explicitly approve the payment using a security check. OpenAI said this could involve biometric authentication methods such as Face ID or a fingerprint scan.
This approval requirement is central to the wallet’s initial design. Although an AI agent can assist with a purchase, it cannot independently complete the transaction without the user’s confirmation.
The approach is intended to combine the convenience of AI-assisted shopping with an additional layer of control over spending.
Payment tokens will protect card details
One of the key features of ChatGPT Wallet is its use of payment tokens instead of exposing actual card information.
According to OpenAI, the payment network will provide a token that can be used to process a transaction in place of the user’s card details. This means neither the merchant nor the AI agent will be able to see the actual card information.
Tokenisation is intended to reduce the amount of sensitive payment data shared during a purchase. Instead of handling the underlying card number, the transaction can be processed using the payment token supplied through the network.
OpenAI’s partnerships with American Express, Mastercard and Visa are part of this payment infrastructure.
The company has positioned the feature as a way to allow AI agents to participate in online transactions without giving them unrestricted access to users’ financial credentials.
However, users will still need to review the purchase details and complete the required security approval before a payment goes through.
Initial availability limited to US subscribers
ChatGPT Wallet will initially be available in the United States, with access restricted to ChatGPT Pro subscribers aged 18 and older who have eligible US-issued cards.
The feature will be accessed through Dots, OpenAI’s always-on AI agents. The initial eligibility requirements mean that it will not immediately be available to all ChatGPT users or across every market.
OpenAI has not indicated in the supplied announcement when the wallet might expand to other subscription tiers or countries.
For users outside the US, including those in India, the initial rollout does not indicate immediate availability. Access will depend on any future expansion announced by the company.
OpenAI plans to expand delegated purchases
OpenAI expects the wallet to eventually support a more advanced form of AI-assisted shopping, in which users can delegate purchases to agents within clearly defined limits.
For example, users could potentially establish spending limits, restrict purchases to selected categories or specify the periods during which an agent is allowed to make purchases.
Such controls could allow an AI agent to handle routine shopping tasks while operating within boundaries set by the user.
Instead of approving every decision involved in finding and selecting a product, users could eventually give an agent permission to make certain purchases under pre-approved conditions.
This represents a possible shift from AI assistants that primarily provide recommendations or answer questions to agents that can also carry out transactions.
However, OpenAI’s announcement describes these delegated purchasing capabilities as a future direction. The initial wallet rollout continues to require users to review and approve each transaction.
What the launch means for AI-assisted shopping
The introduction of ChatGPT Wallet signals an effort to connect conversational AI with digital payments and online commerce.
AI agents are increasingly being designed to handle tasks that go beyond generating information, including searching for products, comparing options and helping users complete activities online. Integrating payments into these workflows could make it possible for users to complete more of the shopping process through an AI assistant.
Security and user control will remain important considerations as these systems become more capable. Giving an AI agent the ability to initiate purchases introduces questions about spending permissions, payment authentication and the handling of sensitive financial information.
OpenAI’s initial model addresses some of these concerns through payment tokens and mandatory user approval. Its longer-term plan to introduce spending limits and category-based restrictions could provide additional controls for delegated transactions.
For now, ChatGPT Wallet is a US-focused launch for eligible Pro subscribers. Its wider adoption will depend on how the service develops, how payment partners support it and when OpenAI decides to extend availability to more users and regions.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by News Karnataka staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)