As part of its ongoing efforts to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the shopping experience, Walmart has announced a partnership with OpenAI that will enable customers to buy products through ChatGPT. Walmart will allow shoppers to buy using ChatGPT. According to the retail giant, the partnership with ChatGPT will enable customers to purchase more proactively and “learn, plan, and predict” their shopping needs. Why did Walmart partner with OpenAI? In a new “AI-First” shopping experience, the partnership will also enable Walmart and Sam’s Club members to use ChatGPT to directly plan meals and replenish food supplies. Other initiatives include refining product catalogues, speeding up customer service resolution times, and encouraging staff members to be AI literate. “We’re excited to partner with Walmart to make everyday purchases a little simpler. It is just one way AI will help people every day under our work together,” Sam Altman, the co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of OpenAI, said, as quoted by Forbes. Every week, 255 million customers and members shop at Walmart stores and on the company website. ChatGPT will be connected to current Walmart and Sam’s Club customer accounts so that users can utilise the chatbot to check out purchases. What Walmart said Doug McMillon, the CEO of Walmart, stated that the move aimed at improving the consumer experience was long overdue. “A lengthy list of item replies and a search bar have been the main features of eCommerce shopping experiences for many years. This is about to change. Through collaborations like this significant step with OpenAI, we are running toward that more convenient and pleasurable future with Sparky,” he explained, as reported by CBS News. Sparky, Walmart’s generative AI-powered shopping assistant, is designed to provide more individualised and conversational shopping support. This coincides with the massive online retailer Amazon’s entry into the field of agentic AI, which substitutes robots for people. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon explained the partnership with ChatGPT. Customers can purchase goods from sellers offering items that aren’t accessible on Amazon without ever leaving the Amazon ecosystem by using the “Buy for Me” option in the Amazon Shopping App.
By Japhet Ruto
