Walmart Inc. is partnering with Alphabet Inc. to offer AI-enhanced shopping on Google’s Gemini platform — part of the retailer’s race to apply the technology across its operations.
Customers will be able to purchase items on Gemini’s browser or mobile app in the coming months, David Guggina, chief e-commerce officer of Walmart US, said in an interview. The selection will include apparel, consumables, entertainment and food products that are currently available at Walmart and Sam’s Club, he said. Customers can build a basket and purchase the items directly on Gemini, with Walmart handling orders.
“We are moving past the era of the search bar,” Guggina said. “We aren’t just meeting people where they shop, we’re anticipating how they live.”
Customers will be able to ask Gemini for tips and suggestions — such as which running shoes are the most recommended. Gemini will respond with items, including those sold at Walmart and Sam’s Club if relevant, which they can purchase directly.
Queries that aren’t tied to shopping could also include item recommendations. Gemini will assess people’s purchasing intent — for example an inquiry about removing a wine stain out of a rug could lead to links for related products sold at Walmart.
Fresh, frozen and marketplace items won’t be included in the initial offering, although the assortment will expand with time.
AI is making inroads into consumers’ shopping habits, with people increasingly using the technology to research items or compare deals. Brands and retailers are creating new partnerships in order to capitalize — Walmart is also working with OpenAI.
That deal, which lets shoppers buy items through ChatGPT, is in “very early days,” Guggina said. He added the retailer is aiming to make shopping experiences simpler, more personalized and anticipatory through AI.
Other retailers are forging their own partnerships. Target Corp. is working with OpenAI to enhance shopping and help employees, with a goal of “weaving AI throughout the business.”
The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company gained market share last year and has benefited from its scale as consumers hunt for deals. It’s pushing to incorporate AI into everything from supply-chain management to the shopping experience.