OpenAI has added a new eCommerce component to its popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT. “Instant Checkout,” a service that lets American ChatGPT make purchases from U.S.-based Etsy merchants plus some sellers on Shopify. “This marks the next step in agentic commerce, where ChatGPT doesn’t just help you find what to buy, it also helps you buy it,” the company said. “For shoppers, it’s seamless: go from chat to checkout in just a few taps. For sellers, it’s a new way to reach hundreds of millions of people while keeping full control of their payments, systems, and customer relationships.” So far, Instant Checkout supports only single-item purchases, but the company plans to add multi-item carts and expand merchants and regions. Instant Checkout works by showing users who ask shopping questions the most relevant products from around the web, ranked solely according to their relevance to the user. If a product supports Instant Checkout, users can click “Buy,” confirm their order shipping and payment details, and carry out the purchase without ever leaving the chat. Orders, payments, and fulfillment are handled by the merchant using their existing systems. ChatGPT simply acts as the user’s AI agent—securely passing information between user and merchant, just like a digital personal shopper would. The service is free for users, but merchants pay a small fee for completed purchases. This payment doesn’t impact prices or color ChatGPT’s product results.
Lender Price expands its AI-driven AILA platform with new tools that let loan officers query underwriting guidelines in seconds, surface “near-miss” alternatives and build custom pricing UIs via conversation
Lender Price, an AI-driven mortgage technology, announced significant enhancements to its AILA platform alongside the launch of new AI tools and automation capabilities designed to empower loan officers and streamline the lending process. What’s New in AILA and Beyond: AILA: Loan officers can query underwriting guidelines in seconds, eliminating the need to sift through endless documents. AILA delivers instant answers, saving time and improving efficiency. Near-Miss: An AI-driven solution that identifies alternative loan products and offers actionable recommendations to help borrowers qualify for superior options. AILA Builder: Users can now effortlessly create custom pricing engine UIs for various loan types using conversational commands, setting a new industry standard by removing the complexity of coding. Taking automation to the next level, from origination to lock desk, to capital markets and beyond, these new AI tools are designed to create seamless, efficient workflows that save time, reduce errors, and improve outcomes for borrowers, optimizing the overall lending process.
Lender Price expands its AI-driven AILA platform with new tools that let loan officers query underwriting guidelines in seconds, surface “near-miss” alternatives and build custom pricing UIs via conversation
Lender Price, an AI-driven mortgage technology, announced significant enhancements to its AILA platform alongside the launch of new AI tools and automation capabilities designed to empower loan officers and streamline the lending process. What’s New in AILA and Beyond: AILA: Loan officers can query underwriting guidelines in seconds, eliminating the need to sift through endless documents. AILA delivers instant answers, saving time and improving efficiency. Near-Miss: An AI-driven solution that identifies alternative loan products and offers actionable recommendations to help borrowers qualify for superior options. AILA Builder: Users can now effortlessly create custom pricing engine UIs for various loan types using conversational commands, setting a new industry standard by removing the complexity of coding. Taking automation to the next level, from origination to lock desk, to capital markets and beyond, these new AI tools are designed to create seamless, efficient workflows that save time, reduce errors, and improve outcomes for borrowers, optimizing the overall lending process.
Big enterprises are accelerating toward blockchain-based payments to cut cross‑border fees from 4–6% to roughly 0.5% and gain 24/7 settlement, programmability and non‑custodial control, with 40% of large companies expecting to accept crypto within two years
A new infrastructure is on the rise, a digital hyperloop for money. One example of a next-generation payment gateway, NOWPayments, provides a solution for businesses of any size and location to accept both fiat and digital currencies. The platform supports over 300 cryptocurrencies, including popular stablecoins such as USDT and USDC. In addition to financial transaction flexibility, the low fee of just 0.5% per transaction, compared to the 4-6% legacy cross-border fees charged by traditional payment processors, directly lowers costs for numerous businesses. The platform’s “non-custodial” model also sets a welcome example of security and trust. Unlike older systems where an intermediary controls funds, NOWPayments ensures merchants maintain full control of their money, as funds go directly to their wallets. This design eliminates a critical single point of failure and reduces the risk of a central “data honeypot.” Platforms like NOWPayments provide APIs and ready-to-use plugins that enable companies to seamlessly integrate this new infrastructure into their existing operations within days, not months. With programmable money, payments can be automated with rules embedded directly into the transaction itself. Smart contracts can automatically distribute royalties to artists when their work is resold, or make small payments to IoT devices for sharing data. Institutional backing for this transition is increasing, and industry leaders convey the urgency, characterizing it as a pivotal economic transformation. A recent Deloitte survey reveals that around 4 out of 10 large companies anticipate accepting crypto payments within the next two years. Prominent financial institutions are also joining in. JP Morgan’s Onyx platform and Visa’s ongoing initiatives with stablecoins illustrate that major players are integrating these technologies into their core operations. They acknowledge that this technology is no longer just an experiment, rather it is evolving into a fundamental layer for the future of finance.
AstraZeneca launches direct-to-consumer cash on delivery e-commerce platform for chronic disease medications with up to 70% discount, following Trump administration pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturers
Global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will launch AstraZeneca Direct, an online direct-to-consumer platform designed to create a way for eligible patients to gain access to their prescribed medications at a transparent cash price with home delivery. AstraZeneca Direct is intended to support people living with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease, as well as people seeking flu protection. The platform will enable eligible patients with prescriptions for Airsupra (albuterol/budesonide) or Farxiga (dapaglifozin) to able to use AstraZeneca Direct to purchase these medicines directly for a cash price up to 70% off list price. Consumers will also be able to order the Flumist intranasal live influenza vaccine for home delivery via AstaZeneca Direct. The company says that AstraZeneca Direct is an extension of its existing U.S. patient support offerings, which will continue unchanged for eligible patients. These programs help eligible patients obtain access their prescribed AstraZeneca medication at no or reduced cost. AstraZeneca is tossing its prescription bottle cap into an increasingly crowded vertical of digital retailers and platforms offering consumers online access to low-cost prescription drugs, with the added feature of being a direct-to-consumer provider. The benefit allows Prime members, including Medicare beneficiaries, access to more than 50 commonly prescribed medications that treat conditions like anxiety, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease for $5 per month, regardless of how many prescriptions they need, with free two-day delivery and same-day service in eligible locations.
OpenAI releases social app for sharing AI videos from Sora
OpenAI released a new Sora app that lets people create and share AI-generated video clips featuring themselves and their friends. The move is OpenAI’s biggest foray yet to turn its AI tools into a social experience and follows similar moves by Meta. The Sora app on iOS requires an invitation. An Android version will follow eventually. The social app is powered by Sora 2, a new version of OpenAI’s video mode. Sora 2 adds support for synchronized audio and video, including dialogue. OpenAI says Sora 2 is significantly better at simulating real-world physics, among other improvements. “The original Sora model from February 2024 was in many ways the GPT-1 moment for video,” OpenAI said. “With Sora 2, we are jumping straight to what we think may be the GPT-3.5 moment for video.” The Sora app creates shareable 10-second video clips based on prompts or photos. Sora users can include themselves in the video using a “cameo” feature that requires people to follow a series of instructions to authenticate themselves (an approach designed to avoid impersonation). They can also choose to allow their likeness to be used by friends in their videos. When someone’s own “cameo” is used, they are notified and have the ability to approve the usage or delete the video. Videos can be shared publicly or just with friends via a group message. Others can choose to “remix” creations by adding tweaks to the prompt or their own cameo to the video. The move reflects a broader push to make AI a more social experience.
Rocket Pro launches BrokerNearMe.com, a consumer-facing site that connects borrowers with local brokers based on their specific needs and geographic location; Rocket Pro Assist delivers instant answers on loan guidelines, status and conditions
Rocket Pro unveiled a slate of broker-focused initiatives affirming its commitment to the broker channel. The announcements involve a set of 10 partner promises, a new manifesto video and several technology rollouts. Rocket Companies CEO Varun Krishna and Sogorka introduced the launch of BrokerNearMe.com, a consumer-facing site that connects borrowers with local brokers based on their specific needs and geographic location. In tandem with BrokerNearMe and building upon the company’s theme of streamlining the loan process, Rocket Pro introduced Rocket Pro Assist. The AI-driven support tool integrates with Pathfinder, live chat and Rocket Connect to deliver instant answers on loan guidelines, status and conditions, while connecting users to live support when needed. Also the technology front, Rocket Pro rolled out Rocket Pro Navigate, an AI platform dubbed its “ChatGPT built exclusively for loan officers” that provides sales coaching, lead discovery, document analysis and client communications to help move deals forward more efficiently. The platform has four built-in key apps: Sales Coach (roleplay and coaching), Lead Scanner (lead discovery), Document Analyzer (evaluates documents like paystubs, tax returns, even competitor loan estimates) and Client Notes (track client conversations and prepare for upcoming sales calls). On stage, SVP of Engineering Matthew Baldwin added that users can customize and create apps within the platform in addition to the core four applications. Rocket Pro also debuted Navigate’s Lead Scanner app, which Randolph says was built by loan officers. Lead Scanner allows loan officers to upload client lists via spreadsheets/CSV and have their data analyzed to prep for outreach.
Allvue upgrades Nexius platform with private credit intelligence with over 200 key performance indicators covering deals, facilities, borrowers, transactions, and covenants
Allvue Systems has launched Private Credit Intelligence, a large-scale, rights-cleared dataset designed to deliver unprecedented transparency, consistency, and reliability across private credit markets. This further expands Nexius into Enterprise Data Solutions, integrating proprietary data, analytics, and AI-ready capabilities on a unified platform to transform investment decision-making. Private Credit Intelligence provides structured, audit-ready data spanning hundreds of thousands of loans and borrowers. With over 200 key performance indicators covering deals, facilities, borrowers, transactions, and covenants, investors can benchmark terms, monitor risk, and evaluate performance with confidence. The dataset is designed for seamless integration into existing workflows, analytics, and AI applications, reducing the time and cost of data preparation while enhancing the quality and reliability of insights. Private Credit Intelligence is powered by the Nexius Data Platform, Allvue’s enterprise-grade foundation for integrating, transforming, and operationalizing data across the investment lifecycle. Together, they form Nexius Enterprise Data Solutions, unifying proprietary datasets, workflows, and AI capabilities to empower firms to act faster and with greater conviction. Nexius Intelligence delivers proprietary datasets, benchmarks, and analytics, beginning with Private Credit Intelligence and expanding to equity datasets and enhanced analytic capabilities. The Nexius Data Platform provides enterprise-grade data management, workflow integration, and reporting, supporting end-to-end investment decision-making.
Canton Network institutional Blockchain (backed by Goldman Sachs and HSBC) activity surges, surpassing 500K daily transactions; Broadridge alone processes over $5.9 trillion monthly in tokenized U.S. Treasury repos on Canton
Copper Research reports a significant increase in usage of the Canton Network, a blockchain designed for regulated finance. Validator activity now includes major U.S. exchanges, banks, and infrastructure firms. Canton’s privacy-focused, interoperable design is favorable for shared institutional platforms under current regulations. Versana, with backing from JPMorgan and Wells Fargo, shares syndicated loan data among seven global banks. Goldman Sachs’ DAP supports tokenized bond issuances. This institutional adoption distinguishes Canton. Canton Network has achieved unmatched scale within its first year, supported by Goldman Sachs, HSBC, and Broadridge. Broadridge processes over $5.9 trillion monthly in tokenized U.S. Treasury repos on Canton.
Hertz launches full-service online used car sales, get a trade-in offer and pre-qualified to view personalized payments, view optional protection plans, and secure credit approval
Hertz Car Sales has updated its website to allow customers to complete their entire car buying purchase online. Shoppers nationwide can now browse, finance and purchase used vehicles entirely online, directly from Hertz Car Sales. Customers can get a trade-in offer and pre-qualified to view personalized payments, view optional protection plans, and secure credit approval to finalize their purchase, all on the Hertz Car Sales site. This initiative follows the recently introduced collaboration with Amazon Autos that combines Hertz Car Sales’ nationwide inventory with Amazon’s shopping and checkout experience. As Amazon Autos’ first fleet dealer, Hertz Car Sales is expanding the available inventory on Amazon Autos to offer a wider selection of vehicles from brands like Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet and Nissan. Initially launched in four cities, it has now expanded to all Hertz Car Sales locations across the U.S. Hertz certified used vehicles undergo a 115-point inspection and are backed by a 12-month/12,000-mile limited powertrain warranty in addition to any remaining factory new vehicle warranty coverage. Other features include 24-hour roadside assistance, a seven-day/250-mile buy-back guarantee, flexible financing options and vehicle history and condition reports.