Just yesterday (29th September 2025), Shopify and OpenAI dropped a pretty huge announcement: merchants will soon be able sell products directly through ChatGPT conversations. No links or redirects, just smooth, AI-powered commerce (shopify.com).
Why does this matter? Because shoppers are increasingly letting AI do the heavy lifting; researching, comparing, and even making purchases on their behalf. If your brand isn’t set up to show up in those conversations, you could be missing out, even if you have the best products out there.
Discovery is no longer just about being on Google or your own site. It’s about showing up in the right conversation, making it clear what you sell, why you’re different, and how easy it is to buy from you. Brands that sort this out now will be ahead of the pack as AI-driven commerce ramps up.
The state of play
Here’s what’s happening right now:
- AI agents are rewriting discovery: Customers don’t have to scroll through pages of search results. They tell AI exactly what they need, and get highly specific, actionable answers, often before they even land on your site.
- Agentic Commerce is emerging: This isn’t just recommendations anymore. AI agents can actually act on behalf of shoppers — looking across stores, weighing options, and even placing orders within limits set by the user (budget, style, shipping region, returns). Think of it as moving from pointing someone in the right direction, to walking the path for them.
- Conversations are happening outside your storefront: Buyers might not reach your site until they’re already ready to purchase. AI agents are reading reviews, Reddit threads, and other discussions to figure out who’s worth recommending. If your brand isn’t visible there, it could be left out.
- Luxury, value, and context are being disambiguated: If a user asks for “a luxury men’s shoe”, will AI categorise your brand as luxury? That depends on how well you’ve communicated the details that support that claim — things like origin, materials, craftsmanship, positioning.
- Shopify and OpenAI integration: With this new partnership, AI conversations can now include buying from your store directly. That makes clear, structured product data, good policies, and a strong brand story more important than ever.
- Platforms are responding: Shopify’s Knowledge Base and Storefront MCP apps let brands structure information specifically for AI agents, track which data is requested, and improve discovery in real time. Clear product descriptions, accurate policies, and structured data are now essential.