Bentonville, Arkansas — Walmart is teaming up with OpenAI to offer shoppers a new AI-powered checkout experience, allowing purchases to be completed directly within ChatGPT. The partnership highlights Walmart’s commitment to using artificial intelligence to enhance operations and improve customer convenience.
Using ChatGPT’s “Instant Checkout” feature, users can browse Walmart products and complete purchases without leaving the chat interface. Shoppers can ask the AI for recommendations like “best mattress under $1,000” or “gift for an avid reader” and purchase suggested items immediately.
“This feature allows customers and Sam’s Club members to plan meals, restock essentials, or discover new products simply by chatting — Walmart will take care of the rest,” the company said.
Transforming Shopping With AI
Walmart describes the move as a step beyond traditional e-commerce search tools, which simply retrieve products based on consumer queries. The AI assistant, Sparky, learns and predicts customers’ needs, creating what Walmart calls agentic commerce, a more proactive shopping experience.
“For many years now, eCommerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change … We are running toward that more enjoyable and convenient future with Sparky and through partnerships including this important step with OpenAI,” said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon.
Sparky is Walmart’s generative AI-powered shopping assistant, designed to deliver conversational and personalized recommendations, helping customers find and purchase items more efficiently.
OpenAI CEO Highlights Convenience
Sam Altman, cofounder and CEO of OpenAI, praised the collaboration, emphasizing the simplicity it brings to everyday purchases.
“This partnership with Walmart makes everyday purchases a little simpler,” Altman said.
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The integration positions Walmart alongside other e-commerce giants exploring agentic AI, including Amazon. Through Amazon’s “Buy for Me” feature, shoppers can purchase products from vendors not available on Amazon.com while remaining in the Amazon ecosystem, highlighting a growing trend of AI-driven commerce.
The Future of AI-Driven Shopping
By combining AI-powered recommendations with instant checkout, Walmart aims to streamline online shopping, making it faster, more personalized, and less reliant on traditional search navigation. Analysts see this as a significant shift in how major retailers interact with consumers, as AI begins to take on more decision-making roles in e-commerce.
“AI will learn and predict customers’ needs, turning shopping from a reactive experience into a proactive one,” Walmart said.
The partnership marks another milestone in Walmart’s AI strategy, giving consumers more control and convenience while also positioning the retailer at the forefront of emerging technology in retail.
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