Walmart enlists AI agents to shop for customers
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| Source: The Verge | Original article
Walmart will soon let AI agents shop on its website, allowing users to approve purchases, review orders and set spending limits.
Walmart is set to open its online storefront to third‑party AI assistants. Starting next month shoppers will be able to link a personal AI agent to Walmart.com or Sam’s Club, where the agent can browse listings, select items and complete purchases on the customer’s behalf. The rollout is anchored by “Agent Profiles,” a dashboard that lets users review every transaction the assistant proposes, approve or reject individual orders, and impose spending caps. A new “Walmart Agent Gateway” and revised AI‑agent terms are also being introduced to formalise how agents interact with the retailer’s systems and to provide safeguards around data use and fraud prevention.
The move marks a decisive shift in the retail‑AI landscape. While Amazon has recently barred external AI shopping bots from its site, Walmart is positioning itself as the most open major retailer to autonomous purchasing. By giving customers granular control over agent activity, Walmart hopes to turn the convenience of AI‑driven shopping into a competitive differentiator, potentially attracting tech‑savvy shoppers who already rely on personal assistants for tasks such as travel booking or calendar management.
What to watch next is how quickly developers roll out compatible agents and whether the feature gains traction among Walmart’s core customer base. Industry observers will be looking for early usage metrics, any friction points in the approval workflow, and whether other retailers follow suit or tighten access. Regulators may also scrutinise the new “Agent Profiles” framework for compliance with consumer‑protection rules. As we reported on 22 October, Walmart’s open‑door policy stands in stark contrast to Amazon’s restrictive stance, and the coming weeks will reveal whether the gamble pays off in market share and brand perception.
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