In a recent and major step towards the digital innovation that’s taking place in India, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has reportedly shaken hands with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to bring UPI (Unified Payments Interface) directly into ChatGPT.
This means Indian users would soon be able to make payments, send money, or complete transactions right inside ChatGPT that too without switching between apps.
The partnership also aims to make ChatGPT more than just an AI chatbot. By integrating the UPI, users could also very soon ask ChatGPT to help them pay bills, recharge mobiles, transfer funds, or shop online, all by utilising simple voice or text commands.
This collaboration between OpenAI and NPCI could also mark the first time that a global AI platform supports real-time payments using India’s UPI system.
Reports also suggest that OpenAI has been in the headlines for being in talks with Indian digital payment regulators for months to make this integration smooth and secure.
Once launched, this feature will make ChatGPT one of the few AI tools in the world that can directly handle financial transactions, that too through a trusted system like UPI.
The ChatGPT payments feature will also be trained in a way that it makes use of the UPI handles linked to a user’s bank account, similar to how the popular payment platforms works like Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm.
The process will likely involve a two-step verification system to ensure safety. Let’, for example, we can say, ChatGPT might ask for a PIN confirmation or biometric verification through linked devices.
This feature could also support features like transaction summaries, payment reminders, and expense tracking, all through a natural conversation with the chatbot.
This OpenAI–NPCI partnership could also revolutionise how people in India use ChatGPT. It would help combine the country’s most trusted digital payment system with one of the world’s most advanced AI platforms.
For millions of Indian users, this would probably mean faster payments, fewer app switches, and a smarter way to manage daily transactions.
The integration now could also boost India’s digital economy by encouraging people to explore new AI-based tools with built-in financial capabilities.
For OpenAI, this move shows its strong interest in expanding ChatGPT’s practical use in regions where UPI has become a part of everyday life.
Since the feature involves sensitive as well as financial data, NPCI and OpenAI are expected to follow strict data protection measures.
Payments will likely happen through secure NPCI gateways, and ChatGPT won’t store any of the user’s bank details. Both organisations are also expected to emphasise user consent and data encryption before rolling out the feature publicly.
