Microsoft is now integrating shopping directly into Copilot

Microsoft introduced Copilot Checkout at the NRF 2026 retail conference as a shopping assistant embedded within Copilot. This feature streamlines online purchases by allowing users to complete transactions directly within Copilot, avoiding redirection to retailer websites. Copilot Checkout currently integrates with platforms like PayPal, Shopify, Stripe, and Etsy, and has partnered with retailers like Urban Outfitters and Ashley Furniture. Retailers remain the merchant of record, retaining customer data while Microsoft manages the interface. Questions remain about the safeguards in place to prevent AI errors during the purchase process. OpenAI has also introduced a similar shopping assistant but has acknowledged potential inaccuracies in product details. Microsoft's Copilot Checkout aims to eliminate the need to visit the merchant site entirely. However, integrating merchant partners has proven challenging for similar initiatives. Automatic shopping is not new, as demonstrated by Amazon's older, simpler purchase buttons. The key difference with Copilot Checkout is the use of an AI interface.