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OpenAI Launches Virtual Try-On and Favorites Features for ChatGPT Shopping

New tools let users upload selfies to visualise clothing and save products for later

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
OpenAI announced the global launch of two new shopping features for ChatGPT on Thursday, including a virtual try-on function that lets users upload a selfie or full-body photo to see how clothing and accessories would look on them, and a Favorites feature for saving products. The features build on earlier shopping experiments after the company pivoted from an instant checkout tool that underperformed.

OpenAI is continuing to push ChatGPT into shopping territory. The company announced the global rollout of two new features: virtual try-on and a Favorites function. The virtual try-on tool, powered by the newly launched ChatGPT Images 2.5 model, allows users to upload a selfie or full-body photo and see how an item of clothing or an accessory would appear on them. A "Try On" button will appear in ChatGPT's shopping results. Users can also upload a screenshot of an item and ask ChatGPT to try it on for them.

The second feature, Favorites, lets users save products they discover to a Library within the app, where they can revisit them alongside their try-on images.

The updates arrive as AI assistants explore consumer shopping use cases. OpenAI previously tried an instant checkout feature, but that effort did not perform well and the company pivoted. The new features also follow agentic AI startup Instinct's recent push into product recommendations, which some users criticised as overreach akin to ads.

OpenAI said the ChatGPT Images 2.5 model produces more natural lighting and richer textures, follows editing instructions more reliably, and reduces image generation latency. The features are available globally from Thursday.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • ChatGPT's shift into shopping could reshape how users discover and evaluate products, moving beyond text-based recommendations to visual try-before-you-buy.
  • The move signals OpenAI's ambition to embed ChatGPT into e-commerce workflows, potentially competing with retailers and dedicated shopping platforms.
  • Privacy concerns may arise as users upload selfies and full-body photos to an AI assistant for visualisation.

Background

AI companies are increasingly eyeing e-commerce as a practical use case for conversational agents. OpenAI's earlier attempt at instant checkout did not gain traction, prompting a pivot to product discovery and visualisation. Meanwhile, other startups like Instinct have experimented with proactive recommendations, though some users found them intrusive. The virtual try-on feature leverages image generation advances that aim for more realistic and faster results.

Key Perspectives

OpenAI: The company positions the features as helpful shopping aids that combine visualisation and saving, building on its image-generation improvements. Users: Shoppers may appreciate the ability to see how clothes look before buying, but some may be wary of uploading personal photos to an AI platform. Critics: Privacy and data use concerns are central, and the line between helpful shopping assistant and advertising platform remains contested, as seen with Instinct's experience.

What to Watch

  • User adoption and feedback on the virtual try-on's accuracy and privacy implications.
  • Whether OpenAI integrates with retailers or product databases beyond web results.
  • Any regulatory scrutiny or privacy policy updates related to handling of user-uploaded photos.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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