What AI agents do on the web today
In short
Six assistants matter to a business today: ChatGPT, Google's AI Mode and Gemini, Perplexity and Comet, Amazon's Alexa for Shopping, Meta's Muse and Microsoft's Copilot. They differ on where a purchase finishes, who is merchant of record and what they refuse. Each has its own page with dated facts, current at 4 November 2026.
Where each one finishes the job
| Agent | What it does for a customer | Where it leaves you |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Finds and compares products, runs partner apps and browses as an agent. | Most purchases finish on your own storefront or app; OpenAI is not merchant of record. |
| Google AI Mode and Gemini | Checks out through UCP, books hotels and calls local businesses. | You stay merchant of record; flights are not bought inside AI Mode. |
| Perplexity and Comet | Sells through PayPal merchants in chat; Comet acts in the user's own browser. | Other merchants are linked out; the retailer is merchant of record. |
| Amazon Alexa for Shopping | Shops Amazon and buys eligible items from other brands' sites with Buy for Me. | Amazon blocks other companies' agents that do not identify themselves. |
| Meta Muse | A personal agent with its own browser that books and buys with the user's approval. | Amazon blocks it; Shopify keeps checkout through it on by default. |
| Microsoft Copilot | Sells inside the chat through Copilot Checkout. | You stay merchant of record; payments through PayPal, Shopify or Stripe. |
The table summarises the dated facts on each agent's page. Verify the current state of any one before you act, because every row has changed in the last year.
ChatGPT shopping and ChatGPT agent
OpenAI's assistant finds and compares products and can browse sites as an agent; since March 2026 most purchases finish on the merchant's own site or in a merchant app.
- 12 Mar 2026
Modern Retail reported on 12 March 2026 that OpenAI said 'Instant Checkout is moving to Apps' and that it would prioritise search and product discovery.
- Read 4 Nov 2026
OpenAI's commerce docs say building with the Agentic Commerce Protocol is open to all, while Instant Checkout in ChatGPT is available to approved partners who apply.
- Read 4 Nov 2026
OpenAI's commerce docs state that OpenAI is not the merchant of record under the Agentic Commerce Protocol.
Google AI Mode and Gemini
Google's AI search mode and Gemini app research products, check out through the Universal Commerce Protocol, book hotels and call local businesses.
- 16 Sep 2026
Google said on 16 September 2026 that UCP enables direct checkout for hundreds of thousands of brands and retailers across Google, with cart transfer to the merchant's site now available.
- 27 Aug 2026
Google began rolling out hotel booking in AI Mode in the US on 27 August 2026, paid with Google Pay, with the hotel or booking platform as merchant of record.
- 27 Aug 2026
AI Mode does not complete flight purchases as of 27 August 2026.
Perplexity, Comet and Perplexity shopping
Perplexity's answer engine sells through PayPal merchants in chat, and its Comet browser runs an assistant that can act in any tab.
- 26 Nov 2025
PayPal enabled its merchants to be discoverable and to take checkout inside Perplexity for US users in November 2025, with the retailer as merchant of record.
- 26 Nov 2025
PayPal named Abercrombie and Fitch, Ashley Furniture, Fabletics, Adorama and Newegg among merchants available in Perplexity at launch.
- 2 Oct 2025
Perplexity made its Comet browser available to everyone on 2 October 2025, with an assistant that can take actions in any new tab.
Amazon Alexa for Shopping (formerly Rufus) and Buy for Me
Amazon's shopping assistant inside its store, which can also buy eligible products from other brands' websites for the customer.
- 13 May 2026
Amazon says Rufus helped more than 300 million customers in 2025 and that its expertise is now combined with Alexa+ in Alexa for Shopping.
- 13 May 2026
Amazon says Buy for Me handles the entire purchase of eligible products from other retailers on the customer's behalf, using their primary address and credit card.
- 13 May 2026
Alexa for Shopping can watch a price and buy an item when it reaches a set price.
Meta Muse
Meta's personal agent, launched in the US on 8 September 2026, that runs its own browser and connectors and can book and buy with the user's approval.
- 29 Sep 2026
Muse for Small Business, announced 29 September 2026, connects to Shopify, Stripe, QuickBooks, Klaviyo, Slack and other tools.
- 8 Sep 2026
Meta launched Muse on 8 September 2026 as a personal agent running on Muse Secure VM, a dedicated computer with its own browser, in the Muse app or in WhatsApp.
- 8 Sep 2026
Meta says Muse returns for approval before steps such as sending an email or making a purchase, and has no visibility into passwords or payment methods.
Microsoft Copilot and Copilot Checkout
Microsoft's assistant sells inside the chat through Copilot Checkout, with the merchant as merchant of record and payments through PayPal, Shopify or Stripe.
- 8 Jan 2026
Microsoft launched Copilot Checkout on 8 January 2026 so shoppers can buy inside Copilot without visiting the retailer's site.
- 8 Jan 2026
Microsoft says merchants stay the merchant of record and own the transaction, the customer data and the relationship.
- 8 Jan 2026
Copilot Checkout runs payments through PayPal, Shopify and Stripe; Shopify merchants are enrolled automatically after an opt-out window.
Sources
- Modern Retail: OpenAI retreats on Instant Checkout (12 Mar 2026) (modernretail.co/technology/shopify-says-purchases-are-coming-inside-chatgpt-through-agentic-storefronts-as-openai-retreats-on-instant-checkout), read 4 Nov 2026. Reported by trade press.
- OpenAI commerce docs: key concepts (developers.openai.com/commerce/guides/key-concepts), read 4 Nov 2026.
- Google: holiday shopping updates (16 Sep 2026) (blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/shopping/google-shopping-updates-holiday-shopping), read 4 Nov 2026.
- Google: How to book travel with AI Mode (27 Aug 2026) (blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/book-travel-ai-mode), read 4 Nov 2026.
- PayPal: agentic shopping with Perplexity (Nov 2025) (newsroom.paypal-corp.com/2025-11-PayPal-Launches-Agentic-Shopping-with-Perplexity), read 4 Nov 2026.
- Perplexity: Comet available to everyone (2 Oct 2025) (perplexity.ai/hub/blog/comet-is-now-available-to-everyone-worldwide), read 4 Nov 2026.
- Amazon: Meet Alexa for Shopping (aboutamazon.com/news/retail/alexa-for-shopping-ai-assistant), read 4 Nov 2026. Vendor claim.
- Meta: Muse for Small Business (29 Sep 2026) (about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-small-business), read 4 Nov 2026.
- Meta: Introducing Muse (8 Sep 2026) (about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent), read 4 Nov 2026.
- Microsoft Source: retail agentic AI (8 Jan 2026) (news.microsoft.com/source/2026/01/08/microsoft-propels-retail-forward-with-agentic-ai-capabilities-that-power-intelligent-automation-for-every-retail-function), read 4 Nov 2026.
- Microsoft Advertising: Copilot Checkout and Brand Agents (Jan 2026) (about.ads.microsoft.com/en/blog/post/january-2026/conversations-that-convert-copilot-checkout-and-brand-agents), read 4 Nov 2026. Vendor claim.
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