ChatGPT can now complete UPI payments and order groceries from BigBasket

OpenAI has teamed up with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Razorpay to introduce a groundbreaking payment feature to ChatGPT. This innovative partnership allows users to discover products, explore services, compare prices, and make purchases—all within the ChatGPT interface. Currently in its pilot phase, this initiative aims to integrate Agentic Payment capabilities, enabling the chatbot to finalize payments on behalf of users without them needing to exit the application. Axis Bank and Airtel Payments Bank are among the banking institutions participating in this pilot program. BigBasket, a quick commerce platform under the Tata Group, has become one of the first to leverage this AI-enhanced shopping experience. Users can engage ChatGPT by asking, for instance, "Help me order ingredients for a Thai-style vegetable curry for 4 people from BigBasket." The chatbot will then browse the BigBasket catalog, present relevant options, and upon user confirmation, place the order using Razorpay’s payment system. OpenAI emphasizes that users will maintain complete control throughout the process, benefiting from real-time order tracking and the option to revoke orders instantly. As part of their collaboration, OpenAI, Razorpay, and NPCI are also investigating additional AI-driven payment solutions aimed at creating a personalized and secure shopping environment via UPI. Looking ahead, there are plans to enable AI agents to autonomously complete transactions securely, utilizing payment credentials while ensuring user control. Oliver Jay, OpenAI's Managing Director of International Strategy, expressed excitement about this pilot feature, stating, "AI is evolving from helping people find products to actually assisting them in purchasing, while also aiding sellers in reaching a broader audience. We’re thrilled to collaborate with NPCI to merge advanced AI with UPI, one of the world’s most reliable real-time payment networks, ushering in a new era of seamless and secure commerce." While the timeline for a full rollout remains uncertain, there is no indication yet whether this feature will be accessible to all users or limited to paying ChatGPT members with access to the AI Agent. In related news, NPCI has also unveiled a new biometric authentication option for UPI transactions, allowing users to bypass traditional PIN methods in favor of biometric security features such as fingerprint or facial recognition.