Microsoft appears to be accelerating its push into AI-driven commerce by expanding the shopping capabilities of Copilot. The feature in development, a native checkout system, was previously teased during their anniversary event, and new traces in the backend now indicate integrations with platforms like Shopify are underway. This would let users complete purchases directly within the app after saving a payment method, mimicking Perplexity’s in-app shopping flow currently offered in the U.S. In that model, users don’t need to leave the assistant interface to finalize transactions, suggesting Microsoft aims for a similarly frictionless experience.
The scope of this rollout is likely tied to Microsoft’s broader strategy, including their new merchant program which was introduced to onboard sellers directly into Copilot’s ecosystem. By doing so, product listings become discoverable in AI-powered queries, potentially replacing traditional product search flows with conversational commerce. The interface for this feature would likely reside inside Copilot’s shopping tab or via contextual prompts, where offers can be surfaced alongside affiliate links or direct checkout buttons.
Evidence of a comparable setup being tested in ChatGPT suggests OpenAI is not far behind, likely working in parallel on a shopping flow that could align with Microsoft’s backend or affiliate infrastructure. Since both tools share foundational ties, especially around web browsing and plug-in style tools, a unified commerce layer wouldn’t be unexpected.
The native checkout feature would benefit both everyday users—who gain a quicker path from discovery to purchase, and independent merchants seeking exposure within AI interfaces. If implemented, it would mark a shift toward turning AI assistants into transaction hubs, rather than just navigators. Perplexity’s lead in this space highlights the rising importance of in-assistant commerce, pushing larger players like Microsoft and OpenAI to catch up. These developments were surfaced via early backend flags and string identifiers—standard signals of in-progress experimentation.
