OpenAI launches AI payments in ChatGPT with Visa, Mastercard and Amex

OpenAI has introduced a new feature in ChatGPT that enables AI agents to make purchases using Visa, Mastercard, and Amex cards. The company partnered with these major payment networks to offer users the ability to authorize transactions via biometric verification methods such as facial recognition or fingerprints. To ensure security, tokenized card credentials are generated for each approved purchase, keeping users' actual card information away from merchants and AI agents.

Currently, this service is available to ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the US, who have eligible cards issued in the country. OpenAI plans to eventually allow AI agents to make purchases within set spending limits and without requiring approval for each transaction. This development marks a shift as AI companies aim to move beyond product recommendations and into executing actual transactions, potentially altering the way consumers interact with online merchants.

OpenAI is collaborating with payment processors and fraud prevention firms to support AI purchases through existing checkout systems. This move follows in the footsteps of other companies developing payment systems for AI agents, such as Google's Agent Payments Protocol, Visa and Mastercard's initiatives, and cryptocurrency firms like Coinbase and Circle.

According to a June report by Juniper Research, global agentic commerce transaction value is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, up from an estimated $8 billion in 2026.