Ride-hailing company Bolt has disclosed plans to launch a ChatGPT payment outlet that will allow users to complete bookings on the artificial intelligence platform, according to a company statement. Bolt said the payment outlet will be launched later in 2026 as it seeks to further simplify the booking process for users.

The company announced its integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT as part of a push to provide a more seamless experience for customers around the world. Bolt said the development marks an important step in the evolution of AI-powered mobility, as more consumers increasingly use AI assistants to plan everyday activities, including travel.

With the integration, customers can interact with Bolt directly inside ChatGPT, where they can see an upfront price estimate for their journey, compare route options, and check when their driver will arrive. The conversation also surfaces the best place to be picked up, reducing waiting time.

When they are ready to take the trip, the details transfer to the Bolt app, where the booking is completed. The company said it still plans to make the process even more convenient by introducing a ChatGPT payment outlet.

“Payment will continue to run through the app at launch. Bolt intends to add the ability to pay for rides directly inside ChatGPT in the future. Payment inside ChatGPT follows later this year,” the company said.

Bolt targets 900 million users with ChatGPT integration

Bolt said the integration with ChatGPT makes it one of the first ride-hailing platforms to integrate with artificial intelligence. The company said the move comes as people increasingly rely on the technology for a wide range of daily tasks. Through the integration, Bolt is expanding its potential customer base and bringing its service to ChatGPT’s 900 million weekly users for the first time.

Bolt currently has just over 200 million users across more than 50 countries and 850 cities. Its services include ride-hailing, scooter and e-bike rental, and car rental.

The integration also places Bolt within a broader shift in how travel services are being discovered and planned, with AI tools becoming a more common entry point for trip planning. That context helps explain why the company is focusing on a booking flow that starts in conversation and finishes in its app, rather than forcing users to switch between multiple steps at the outset.

The integration also comes as AI becomes a dominant channel through which travellers discover and plan journeys. According to Accenture’s Consumer Pulse Research 2025, which surveyed 18,000 consumers across 14 countries, 80% of travellers globally now use AI tools for travel purposes, with more than half willing to let AI fully manage their travel arrangements.

Reacting to this, Teddy Appah-Dankyi, Senior General Manager for Bolt West Africa, said people are increasingly bringing their plans together in one place, making the integration practical.

“People don’t plan their evening in five different apps anymore. A lot of that planning happens in one conversation with AI now. For years, booking a ride meant opening a dedicated ride-hailing app. As more everyday interactions take place through AI, we think requesting a ride should be just as straightforward: ask, see the price, and go,” he said.

See also: FAAN suspends Bolt from airport operations over concessionary issues

Official site: bolt.eu