Microsoft Announces Copilot Checkout at NRF 2026, Enabling In-AI Purchases with Stripe, PayPal, and Shopify

Microsoft Officially Announces In-AI Payment Feature

Microsoft propels retail forward with agentic AI capabilities

Microsoft announces Copilot Checkout and other agentic AI capabilities at NRF 2026, enabling intelligent automation for every retail function.

On January 8, 2026, Microsoft announced "Copilot Checkout" at NRF 2026, the retail industry's largest event held in the United States.

This feature allows users to discover products during conversations with Copilot and complete purchases on the spot without navigating to external sites. The payment infrastructure is powered by Stripe, PayPal, and Shopify.

The service is rolling out from Copilot.com in the US, with major brands including Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Ashley Furniture, as well as Etsy sellers participating.

Industry Background and Trends

The Copilot Checkout announcement marks a significant turning point where AI assistants evolve from "information providers" to "transaction completers."

On September 29, 2025, OpenAI introduced Instant Checkout to ChatGPT, enabling in-AI purchases through Stripe integration. Microsoft's announcement accelerates this trend.

According to Microsoft, the Copilot app has over 100 million monthly active users. Furthermore, users leveraging AI features across Microsoft products exceed 800 million, meaning a channel with massive purchasing potential has been born.

Technical Architecture of Copilot Checkout

Copilot Checkout adopts the "Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)," an open standard co-developed with Stripe.

Key Features:

• Natural Transition from Conversation to Purchase: When users discuss products with Copilot, the Stripe payment interface appears within the chat based on context
• Shared Payment Token: Buyer payment information is tokenized for secure processing without direct exposure
• Merchant as Merchant of Record: The merchant remains the responsible party for payments, with Microsoft serving purely as an intermediary

Shopify merchants are automatically enrolled in Copilot Checkout after an opt-out period. "Copilot Checkout can take customers from intent to transaction in seconds," said Mani Fazeli, VP of Product at Shopify.

Impact and Practical Applications for E-commerce Businesses

Copilot Checkout brings a new sales channel for e-commerce businesses.

Key Action Items:

1. Shopify Users: Auto-enrolled, so participation is possible unless you opt out. Recommend preparing product data and verifying inventory integration

2. Non-Shopify Businesses: Connection via Stripe is possible but requires ACP compliance. Waiting for official Stripe guidelines is advisable

3. Product Information Optimization: Since AI recommends products, preparing structured product data (specs, use cases, target users, etc.) becomes crucial

Availability:

Rolling out in the US from January 2026. Japan availability is unannounced, but considering Stripe, PayPal, and Shopify's Japan operations, support within the year is possible.

Conclusion

Microsoft's Copilot Checkout announcement makes "the era where AI agents handle purchases" a reality.

Following OpenAI's ChatGPT Instant Checkout, Microsoft's full entry into in-AI payments draws attention to moves from other major players including Google and Amazon.

For e-commerce businesses, the key is preparing for new purchasing patterns—"AI conversation → purchase on the spot"—in addition to traditional "search → site visit → purchase" flows. Starting now on product data structuring and AI-ready information preparation will lead to competitive advantage in this new channel.

References

• Microsoft Official Announcement: agentic AI capabilities for retail
• Stripe: Microsoft Copilot and Stripe
• PayPal: Powers Microsoft's Launch of Copilot Checkout
• Microsoft Advertising Official Blog: Copilot Checkout and Brand Agents
• Axios: Microsoft turns Copilot chats into a checkout lane
• Engadget: Microsoft is now integrating shopping directly into Copilot