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If you spent the last day on LinkedIn, you probably saw the flurry of posts about ChatGPT’s game-changing ecommerce integrations with Shopify and Etsy. The news is part of an endless hype-cycle that we’re entering a new era of “AI commerce,” where ChatGPT supposedly rivals Google as a transactional platform.
You know you’re reading a bunch of hype when you see posts like:
- “Yesterday, Shopify changed the rules of e-commerce forever…”
- “Agentic shopping is the new wild west…”
- “For a couple of years now I’ve been using ChatGPT almost exclusively for online shopping…”
That last one is hilariously full of shit because it came from a profile of someone who works for one of the companies involved in the integration. Feel free to do a search on LinkedIn for “ChatGPT + Shopify” to see all sorts of hype-cycle headlines.
So why the hype? Most talking about this don’t even realize they are just playing a role in the narrative ChatGPT needs to keep itself in the news. Billions have been invested in these AI tools and they have to figure out a way to make money.
I’m not saying this isn’t going to be a “thing” — I’m sure people will eventually use AI to purchase stuff — but no one knows to what extent, how long that will take, or if we really need to worry about the tech and optimization side literally a day after the news comes out.
Back in the real world, almost nobody is actually using ChatGPT to buy products. The SEO industry, quick to chase shiny objects, has once again over-inflated the need to obsess over “Answer Engine Optimization” (AEO) and “Generative Engine Optimization” (GEO) when the user data doesn’t back it up. In the last 24 hours we’ve already coined terms like “zero-click shopping” and “agentic SEO.”
Zero-click shopping? Are we really supposed to believe users are going to search for “best travel phone chargers under $30” and just let the AI order one automatically? No clicking at all? At this point, it feels like we’re just making it all up as some kind of 1960’s sci-fi dream then actual reality.
A few weeks ago, OpenAI released the first detailed study on who uses ChatGPT and what they actually do with it. The findings? A lot more mundane than the narrative many SEOs – (or are they “GEOs”?) are pushing.
The report shows ChatGPT has around 700 million weekly active users, or about 10% of the world’s adult population. But the critical insight for SEO is this: 73% of all ChatGPT usage is now non-work related, up from 53% a year earlier. Translation: people are mostly using it for fun, learning, and everyday advice — not for shopping.
Here’s the real breakdown:
- Practical guidance (~29%) – tutoring, workouts, life advice.
- Writing (24% in mid-2025, down from 36% in 2024) – editing, critiquing, communication, creative writing, and articles like this one.
- Seeking information (14% → 24% in one year) – fact-finding, learning, general queries.
And where does ecommerce fit in?
Buried inside the “seeking information” bucket, with just 2.1% of queries related to purchasable products.
That means over 97% of ChatGPT use cases are not specifically transactional. For SEO pros building elaborate “AI optimization” playbooks around product queries, that’s a sobering stat.
Even the “work” side of ChatGPT doesn’t suggest a shopping revolution. Of all work-related messages, 40% are writing tasks (drafting emails, editing reports) and another 24% are practical guidance. Only ~4% of all ChatGPT messages involve programming, despite the hype that coders rely on it. Commercial shopping barely registers.
Yes, “seeking information” is growing — but that doesn’t mean users are treating ChatGPT like Amazon. They’re still mostly asking about news, recipes, school help, and general facts. Google’s $55B search ads business is safe for now. ChatGPT’s monetization opportunities, even with ecommerce integrations, are experimental and tiny compared to entrenched shopping behaviors.
When you boil it down, the SEO industry has been treating ChatGPT as if it’s suddenly Amazon, Google Shopping, and TikTok Shop rolled into one. It’s not. Most users come to ChatGPT for decision support and writing help, not shopping.
Sure, OpenAI wants affiliate revenue and Shopify/Etsy want PR headlines. But SEOs should recognize this for what it is: a partnership announcement designed for media buzz, not a seismic shift in consumer behavior.
The push for AEO/GEO mirrors the industry’s tendency to over-correct every time Google sneezes. But let’s be clear – users aren’t treating ChatGPT like a store, they’re treating it like a tutor, editor, or creative partner.
The takeaway for SEOs and marketing teams: instead of losing sleep over how to “rank in ChatGPT,” the smarter play is to:
- Monitor AI visibility as a secondary KPI, not a core traffic driver. Double down on fundamentals: organic search, local visibility, and web pages that convert.
- Most businesses will see more ROI by improving site speed, content depth, and GA4 conversion paths than by chasing hypothetical ChatGPT rankings.
- Remember: hype cycles benefit vendors, not practitioners.
ChatGPT’s own data makes it clear: this tool is overwhelmingly used for writing, tutoring, and everyday advice — not shopping. Until the numbers show otherwise, SEOs should resist over-hyping GEO/AEO and stay focused on where users actually transact: traditional search, social commerce, and platforms built for shopping.