Agentic Commerce Protocol and Instant Checkout

Instant Checkout lets ChatGPT users purchase items directly within the chat interface. The system relies on the Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open standard co‑created with Stripe, to exchange order details securely between the user, the AI, and the merchant. It supports single‑item purchases today and plans to scale to multi‑item carts.

The AI behind the experience is a large language model that interprets intent. Implementation respects the principles described in the OpenAI system card.

Core Architecture

The protocol defines a JSON‑based message schema that conveys product identifiers, pricing, shipping address, and a payment token. Merchants receive the payload, verify the token, and fulfill the order using their existing backend. This design keeps the merchant as the record of the sale while the AI acts as a conduit.

Interaction Flow

When a shopper asks for a recommendation, ChatGPT returns relevant products. If the user selects “Buy”, the AI sends a request containing the payment token and order data to the merchant’s endpoint. The merchant replies with acceptance or rejection, after which the AI confirms the outcome to the user.

Payment Tokenization

Tokens are generated by Stripe’s Shared Payment Token API or by equivalent services. They are encrypted, single‑use, and scoped to the specific merchant and amount, reducing exposure of raw card numbers.

Security and Trust Model

Every transaction requires explicit user confirmation. The AI never stores payment credentials; it only forwards the token. Data sharing is limited to what is needed for order completion, and merchants retain control over refunds and customer support.

Merchant Integration

Developers can add a single line of code if they already use Stripe, or adopt the Delegated Payments Spec for other processors. The protocol’s open nature allows rapid adoption across platforms without major backend changes.