🛒 ChatGPT shopping results now feature only brands providing product feeds, having shifted from scraping PDPs and Google Shopping data. This change impacts how products are listed, as ChatGPT no longer includes multiple retailers, thus eliminating price comparison options. To appear in these responses, brands must submit product feeds to OpenAI's ads manager. This approach increases reliance on direct product feed data, shifting the shopping experience towards more controlled brand visibility.

💰 Ads are arriving on ChatGPT in Europe. Google has monetized search, and OTAs have monetized hotel distribution. Now, ChatGPT may do the same for its answers. This shift could create a potent new acquisition channel for hotels. However, concerns arise about whether ChatGPT will recommend the best hotel or the one that paid for the spot. This distinction could significantly impact trust in the platform's recommendations.

💻 Google strengthens its position in travel with the launch of AI Mode, impacting Booking.com, Expedia, and hotel chains by owning the booking conversation. OTAs could lose demand they spent billions acquiring, needing to invest similarly to be chosen by Google's AI. Independent hotels risk disappearing from conversations if Google's AI lacks access to their inventory. This shift means former OTA distributors now must rent distribution from Google, altering the power dynamics in travel distribution.