Tags: retail AI

Google has expanded its Gemini AI assistant into retail by partnering with Gap Inc., allowing users to browse and purchase items from Gap’s brands directly within the chatbot using Google Pay and the Universal Commerce Protocol. At the same time, OpenAI is stepping back from its built-in checkout feature in ChatGPT, focusing instead on improving product displays, side‑by‑side comparisons, and overall relevance. The move reflects a broader trend of retailers and AI developers experimenting with conversational commerce while reassessing what shopping experiences resonate with users. Read more

OpenAI is deepening its retail presence with the upcoming launch of a Target-branded ChatGPT shopping app. The beta version will let shoppers request ideas, browse items, build multi‑item baskets, order food and check out directly within ChatGPT. The move follows OpenAI’s recent rollout of dedicated retail apps for brands such as Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Spotify, and Zillow, and its new Instant Checkout feature that enables purchases from retailers like Etsy and Shopify. Target also plans to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise to its 18,000 employees for supply‑chain forecasting, store‑process optimization, and AI‑driven customer support. Read more

Recent developments show artificial intelligence reshaping retail, prompting regulatory uncertainty, and raising mental‑health alarms. Retailers are eyeing chat‑based product discovery while the FTC quietly removes AI‑related blog posts, leaving businesses unsure of policy direction. Protesters have adopted inflatable frog costumes to dodge surveillance, and Google’s New York offices faced a bedbug scare. Most strikingly, the FTC recorded 200 complaints linking ChatGPT to delusions, paranoia and even self‑harm, highlighting a growing concern over AI‑induced psychosis. Read more