The trend: OpenAI’s launch of Instant Checkout—a feature that lets users purchase products directly through ChatGPT—has pushed ecommerce heavyweights into an arms race to make online shopping more seamless.

The examples:

• Google introduced AI Mode, a conversational search tool powered by the Google Shopping Graph’s more than 50 billion product listings. Shoppers can describe what they want as if talking to a friend. Instead of sifting through filters, someone searching for “the best weekend jeans for fall” can type, “barrel jeans that aren’t too baggy” to see visual shopping results. They can refine with follow-ups, such as “I want more ankle length.”
• Amazon rolled out Add to Delivery, a feature that lets US Prime members add eligible items to an upcoming delivery with one tap, skipping checkout and avoiding extra shipping fees.
• Meta launched Business AI, a digital assistant that helps retailers deliver personalized recommendations and faster shopping via chat. It works across Facebook, Instagram, and Shopify-powered sites. Companies can add it to Meta ads for free to let customers ask questions and buy directly within the ad experience. Meta will charge a fee for using Business AI on their own websites but says its rate will be cheaper than competing tools.