Last week, OpenAI released a new, completely unprecedented feature for their ChatGPT platform – plugins. As of this month, anyone can use it even if they are not an account holder or paid subscriber and not signed in to an account. This latest enhancement was announced on April 28, 2025, and aims to improve the way individuals utilize artificial intelligence in their daily lives. The issue with this imported functionality is that when using ChatGPT on a public web browser or PC, enhanced functionality means ChatGPT can show product recommendations.
The updated shopping experience aims to match users, based on their search intent, with the most relevant products. In creating GPT, OpenAI has purportedly focused on improving the overall user experience, especially in making online shopping easier and more automated. ChatGPT’s powerful search engine features help users find personalized recommendations. Since their needs and preferences are unique, these recommendations should be tailored to them.
Key Changes and Features
Besides the new shopping feature, OpenAI has rolled out a bunch of important general upgrades for ChatGPT’s functionality. While the company has enhanced the search feature, it has discontinued direct image generation—a popular aspect of the platform that many users appreciated. OpenAI unilaterally decided to consolidate features under their own brand. Their goal is to empower developers to work on the features most valuable to their community of users.
Free users will see access to several of these new features. This means that subscribers and non-subscribers alike can benefit from improved powers. Paid users will have a lot more flexibility. This decision reaffirms the company’s focus on delivering value across each level of service. This new approach emphasizes OpenAI’s desire to offer powerful AI tools while making them safe and available to everyone.
Focus on User Experience
OpenAI’s tireless mission to transform ChatGPT is all about the user experience when it comes to utilizing artificial intelligence. The company’s ultimate goal is to enable a more instinctive experience. By making it easier for users to discover products and helpful information, it creates a bigger audience. The wins signal more than just the smart improvements. AI systems are developing to keep pace with the demands of consumers in our fast-paced, digital-first world.
Additionally, having logged-out accounts able to use basic features is a smart play by OpenAI to pull in as broad of an audience as possible. The company’s goal is to get more people interested by removing hurdles to entry. This will motivate them to dig deeper and investigate how AI can streamline and improve their AI life.
