On Monday, artificial intelligence giant OpenAI introduced a new feature that allows users to make purchases directly through ChatGPT, in partnership with Etsy and Shopify. This move is expected to bring significant changes, especially in the travel industry, which is preparing for a “massively disruptive” technological update.
OpenAI announced, “Users can now buy directly from US Etsy sellers right in chat, with over a million Shopify merchants, like Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx and Vuori, coming soon. Today, Instant Checkout supports single-item purchases. Next, we’ll add multi-item carts and expand merchants and regions.”
This innovation is set to disrupt online commerce as the 700 million weekly users of ChatGPT will soon be able to shop via the AI interface without visiting other websites. OpenAI stands to gain considerable influence in e-commerce while generating revenue through fees from sellers.
### AI Set to Transform Holiday Booking
Following the announcement, travel experts predicted a future where ChatGPT or similar large-language models achieve market dominance by becoming a “super-app” — a single portal to access all parts of the internet.
Many tech-savvy travellers already use AI to plan holidays in detail. However, the big breakthrough will be the ability to book an entire holiday with just a few clicks, without ever leaving the AI interface.
Speaking at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) summit in Rome on Tuesday, Bloomberg anchor Guy Johnson described the shift as, “a huge shift. That is a new model. That is massively disruptive.”
Gaurav Bhatnagar, co-founder of TBO.com, also weighed in on the impact. “The changes would be positive from the customer’s perspective. The quality of service will improve. Travel companies will need fewer staff. From a customer’s perspective, it will be cheaper, easier to book, and the experience will be better,” he said.
Bhatnagar added that the transformation will be even more significant for travel companies themselves. “It is likely that when ChatGPT gets the customer to the point they’re ready to book, it will send the holiday plan out to its network and ask who wants to bid for this. My guess is that ChatGPT wants to replace Amazon, Booking.com, to become the super app.”
### AI Experts Predict Greater Accuracy and Efficiency
Paolo Benanti, president of the AI Commission for Information and a member of the UN Advisory Board on AI, shared an optimistic view on AI’s potential in travel. “You would expect that an AI agent could arrange travel more accurately than a human can,” he said.
The idea of an AI revolution in travel has been developing over several years. At last year’s WTTC summit, experts similarly predicted that large language models would be used to generate personalized travel itineraries for holidaymakers.
### Challenges Ahead for Travel and Tourism
Despite the excitement, significant challenges remain. Many travel and tourism businesses face a shortage of AI-skilled workers, limited AI infrastructure, and lack a formal AI strategy.
The WTTC issued a statement urging companies in the sector to embrace AI as a strategic priority. “Travel and tourism businesses must invest heavily in talent to foster collaboration between humans and AI,” the statement read.
As AI integration deepens, the travel industry stands on the brink of a transformative era—one where booking holidays and shopping online could become seamless, automated experiences powered by cutting-edge technology.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/news/travel-experts-predict-holidays-soon-35990157