Imagine chatting with an AI about your weekend plans — and buying your outfit, booking your dinner reservation, and paying instantly, all without leaving the chat. That’s no longer a futuristic fantasy.

On October 28, 2025, OpenAI and PayPal announced a groundbreaking partnership that could redefine how people shop and how brands sell online. PayPal will soon power instant checkout inside ChatGPT, connecting its 400+ million active users to tens of millions of merchants through a new framework called the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP).

If you’re in marketing, eCommerce, or digital strategy, this move is massive. Because it’s not just about faster payments — it’s about turning conversations into conversions.

Key Takeaways

• ChatGPT becomes an eCommerce platform — users can discover and buy products directly within chat.
• PayPal merchants gain instant access to ChatGPT’s global audience without additional integrations.
• AI-driven product discovery means conversational SEO and structured data will become critical.
• “Agentic Commerce” enables AI agents to recommend, compare, and complete purchases on behalf of users.
• Marketers and eCommerce brands must adapt their data, content, and strategy to be AI-discoverable.

What Is Agentic Commerce (and Why It Matters)?

Agentic Commerce represents the next leap in digital shopping — where AI agents act for the user, finding and buying products with minimal human input.

Picture this: Instead of searching for “best skincare brands for dry skin”, a user asks ChatGPT, “Find me a moisturiser for dry skin under $50 with great reviews.”

ChatGPT will instantly browse PayPal’s connected merchants, compare options, and let the user check out in seconds via PayPal Instant Checkout.

It’s the evolution from search to suggestion — and from clicks to chats.

(Learn more about this in OpenAI’s official blog or PayPal’s newsroom announcement).

How This Changes the Game for Brands and Marketers

For years, digital marketers have fought for visibility on search engines and social media. Now, the battleground shifts to AI-driven discoverability.

With ChatGPT acting as both a shopping assistant and transaction hub, businesses will compete not for ad space — but for AI recommendations.

Here’s what this means:

• Conversational SEO replaces traditional search optimisation. Content must match how people speak, not just how they type.
• Product data and feeds need to be clean, structured, and machine-readable to help AI understand and rank offerings.
• Customer trust signals (reviews, guarantees, refund policies) will influence which brands AI recommends first.

“This is the first time small brands can sell inside the same AI ecosystem used by global retailers — without complex setup,” said Alex Chriss, CEO of PayPal.

For Australian eCommerce brands, especially those already using PayPal or Shopify integrations, this could open global visibility — instantly.

(For more insights, see HubSpot’s 2025 AI Marketing Report or Search Engine Journal’s analysis of AI commerce trends).

How Marketers Can Prepare for AI-Native Commerce

1. Optimise Product Feeds for AI

Ensure your product data includes structured tags, rich descriptions, and attributes (like size, use case, or sustainability). AI agents depend on clear metadata to match products with consumer intent.
👉 Resource: Google Merchant Center’s Product Feed Guide

2. Focus on Conversational Keywords

Shift keyword strategy to mimic spoken language. Instead of “buy leather shoes,” optimise for “What are the best leather shoes for daily wear?”
👉 Learn more: Backlinko’s Voice Search SEO Study

3. Double Down on Trust Signals

ChatGPT’s recommendations will likely favour brands with proven reliability — transparent return policies, verified reviews, and consistent delivery.

4. Simplify the Checkout Experience

The faster and cleaner your PayPal integration, the better your conversion rates will be once ChatGPT connects directly to your product catalogues.

5. Test AI Tools and Integrations Early

Marketers using AI-powered CRM tools, chatbots, and dynamic ad platforms will gain a competitive edge in an increasingly agent-driven economy.

(Check out Moz’s AI Optimisation Guide for practical tips.)

The Bigger Picture: AI Is Becoming the Marketplace

This isn’t just another tech integration — it’s a glimpse into the future of digital commerce.

In the early 2000s, Google became the go-to destination for discovery. In the 2010s, social media turned influence into a sales engine. Now, in the 2020s, AI is becoming the marketplace itself.

Consumers will no longer “search” for products — they’ll ask, and AI will do the rest.

For marketers, the challenge isn’t driving traffic anymore. It’s ensuring your brand is discoverable and recommendable by AI.

The Bottom Line

The OpenAI + PayPal partnership marks a turning point in how consumers shop and how brands sell.

Marketers who adapt now — refining their data, optimising for conversational discovery, and strengthening brand trust — will thrive in the new age of Agentic Commerce.

Because soon, the chat will be the checkout.

AI isn’t replacing marketers — it’s replacing friction.