In a move that could redefine digital transactions in India, OpenAI has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and fintech major Razorpay to integrate Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments within its AI chatbot, ChatGPT. The collaboration marks one of the first attempts to integrate India’s real-time payments system with an artificial intelligence platform, allowing users to make purchases directly from the chat window.
Bigbasket’s role
As part of the pilot announced on October 9, users will be able to place orders and complete payments without leaving the ChatGPT interface. Tata Group’s Bigbasket has become one of the first platforms to support this AI-driven payment feature, with Axis Bank and Airtel Payments Bank joining as banking partners.
According to a joint statement by OpenAI, NPCI, and Razorpay, the pilot will explore how AI agents can perform financial transactions “autonomously, securely, and under user control.”
“We’re excited to work with NPCI and explore how we can combine advanced AI with UPI, one of the world’s most trusted real-time payment networks, to unlock a new era of effortless and secure commerce,” said Oliver Jay, Managing Director of International Strategy at OpenAI.
The impact
UPI currently processes over 20 billion transactions monthly, making it the backbone of India’s digital payment ecosystem. The integration with ChatGPT could open the door to contextual, conversation-led commerce, where users interact with AI to search, decide, and pay. All within a single interface.
The development coincides with NPCI’s broader innovation push showcased at the Global Fintech Fest 2025, where it unveiled AI-based UPI Help, powered by its proprietary Small Language Model (SLM), along with IoT payments for connected devices and UPI Reserve Pay for controlled credit transactions.
For now, the ChatGPT-UPI service remains in its testing phase, available to limited users. If successful, the partnership could set the foundation for a future where AI chatbots double as secure, conversational payment gateways, blending India’s fintech leadership with the next generation of digital interaction.