OpenAI and Instacart have strengthened their partnership with a fully embedded grocery shopping app inside ChatGPT, allowing people to discover meal ideas, build a basket, and check out without leaving the chat. It’s a significant step towards conversational commerce: you describe what you need; the assistant sources items from nearby retailers and processes payment seamlessly.

Why this matters now

For years, “chat to buy” has been more of a promise than practice. The new Instacart app changes this by integrating shopping and payment directly within ChatGPT rather than directing you to another site. This reduces friction, typically increasing conversion rates, and integrates the entire experience into a conversation that understands your intent. Importantly, the app respects the retailer network Instacart already operates — over 1,800 retailers participate — ensuring availability and delivery are based on real inventory and local delivery options.

How it works

Within ChatGPT, you open the Instacart app, sign in, and ask naturally: “I’m cooking for four, 30‑minute veggie pasta — what do I need?” The assistant proposes items available at nearby stores, adds them to a cart for your review, and then uses Instant Checkout to complete the purchase inside ChatGPT. Early reviews highlight that you can brainstorm meals, generate a list, and pay in one flow, emphasizing speed and simplicity. The integration is live on desktop and mobile web, with mobile apps coming soon. As with other Instant Checkout experiences, multi‑item and regional expansion are planned.

What’s new vs previous plugins

Earlier experiences relied on plugins or redirected you to an external basket. This launch is different: embedded, end-to-end commerce in ChatGPT, including payment, presented by Instacart as a first for grocery. It builds on OpenAI’s broader Instant Checkout initiative, which started with Etsy and Shopify sellers and is expanding to larger retail partners. For consumers, it means fewer clicks and a single conversational context. For merchants, it’s a new entry point for purchases, with OpenAI facilitating checkout and Instacart managing fulfillment.

Practical examples

• “Plan a week of low-waste dinners for two under $80; create a basket with alternatives if my local store is out.”

• “I’m celiac — suggest a gluten-free version of this recipe and source the ingredients.”

• “Build a holiday party snacks list for 12 and schedule delivery for Friday 6pm.”

Each prompt becomes a short conversation that concludes with a ready-to-review cart and a single, secure payment step.

Instacart and OpenAI have launched a fully integrated grocery shopping app inside ChatGPT, allowing users to discover items, build a cart, and pay with Instant Checkout without leaving the chat. The experience leverages Instacart’s network of 1,800+ retailers and represents a shift from plugins to embedded, end-to-end conversational commerce.

FAQs

What is the main benefit of the partnership?
A simpler, faster journey: meal planning, item selection, and checkout inside ChatGPT. No redirections or extra tabs.

How does Instant Checkout work here?
After reviewing your cart, payment is processed within the ChatGPT flow via OpenAI’s Instant Checkout, with fulfillment handled through Instacart’s retailer network.

Where is it available?
The integrated experience is rolling out on desktop and mobile web, with iOS/Android availability to follow. Regional coverage mirrors Instacart’s operational markets and supported retailers.

How is this different from earlier Instacart integrations?
This is embedded commerce: you can complete the entire process — from discovery to payment — within ChatGPT. Previous approaches often redirected you to an external app for checkout.

Next Steps

The Instacart app inside ChatGPT is an early look at agentic commerce — using natural language to plan, source, and purchase all in one place. If you’re exploring similar integrations, focus on low-friction flows, permissioned data, and clear disclosures about fulfillment and returns.

Interested in conversational commerce? Generation Digital can help design prompts, evaluate flows, and safely integrate checkout.