ChatGPT Adds Virtual Try-On and a Favorites Library for Shoppers

OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into more of a fitting room. The company is rolling out new shopping features that let users virtually try on clothing and accessories using their own photos, alongside a Favorites library for saving products they want to revisit.

The try-on tool works by having people upload a picture of themselves, then previewing how a garment or accessory might look on them. It is the kind of feature that fashion retailers and tech rivals have been experimenting with for several years, but bringing it into a general-purpose chatbot puts it in front of a far larger audience than a single store's app could reach.

The Favorites library addresses a different problem. Shopping inside a chat window tends to be fleeting, with product suggestions scrolling away as a conversation moves on. By letting users bookmark items, OpenAI is giving ChatGPT something closer to a wish list, which makes it easier to compare options and return to them later rather than starting a new search each time.

Taken together, the additions signal where OpenAI wants its assistant to go. Shopping is one of the most commercially valuable things people do online, and a chatbot that can find products, show how they look on you and remember what you liked starts to resemble a full retail companion rather than just a search replacement.

The use of personal photos will likely draw attention. Uploading images of yourself to an AI service raises familiar questions about how those pictures are stored, whether they are used for training, and how long they are kept. Users will want clear answers on those points before handing over photos, and OpenAI's privacy controls around the feature will be worth watching as it reaches more people.

There are also practical questions about accuracy. Virtual try-on tools can look convincing while still misjudging fit, drape and fabric, so the results are best treated as a visual guide rather than a guarantee that something will suit you in person.

Still, the direction is clear. As AI companies look for ways to turn massive user bases into lasting habits, and eventually revenue, shopping is an obvious target. Try-on and saved favorites are modest features on their own, but they make ChatGPT a more natural place to begin, and perhaps finish, a purchase.