In a bold move, NPCI, Razorpay, and OpenAI have partnered to test “agentic payments,” which would enable users to use UPI to purchase and make payments directly within ChatGPT. As the first partner to join, BigBasket enables users to order groceries without ever leaving the discussion.
This new pilot acts as a bridge between conversational AI and India’s already massive UPI payments network. With Axis Bank and Airtel Payments Bank also participating, the experiment aims to see how safely and securely AI agents can complete transactions.
A First-of-Its-Kind Step for India’s Fintech Scene
Shopping Without Switching Apps
Customers may now find and buy items by just chatting using ChatGPT rather than going to BigBasket’s app or website. The goal is to seamlessly turn conversations into business.
Pre-authorization & Smart Limits
To guard against misuse, this setup lets you authorize ChatGPT to transact under defined spending limits. You stay in control, even if AI acts on your behalf.
The Hurdles to Clear
Trust, Privacy & Encryption
Just because a transaction happens via AI doesn’t remove users’ expectations around privacy and security. Ensuring end-to-end encryption, avoiding data leaks, and giving users full control will be key.
Technical Scale & Reliability
When user numbers surge, infrastructure must hold up. Delays, transaction failures, or broken flows could erode confidence faster than innovation wins it.
Real Behavior vs Experiment Curiosity
Are people using this because it’s convenient, or just because it’s new? Retention after the buzz wears off will determine if this becomes more than a novelty.
From Digital Bharat to AI Bharat
UPI’s ubiquity is unmatched handling over 20 billion transactions per month and this pilot connects that strength with generative AI.
If this succeeds, it could redefine how consumers perceive payments not just as a checkout step, but as part of natural conversation. Imagine saying, “Order my basics for the week,” and your assistant handles everything.
The Next Few Weeks Will Be Telling
This pilot is more than an experiment, it’s a signal that payments and AI are converging in India. Success will depend less on how flashy this seems today and more on how resilient, secure, and human the experience ends up being.
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