US retail giant Walmart partners with OpenAI for AI-supported shopping

The US-based retail giant Walmart announced Tuesday that it partnered with OpenAI to develop an AI-powered shopping experience that will allow customers to shop directly through ChatGPT.

"Whether planning meals, restocking household essentials, or finding something new, customers can simply chat and buy, and Walmart will handle the rest," Walmart said in a statement.

Walmart is already using this technology in areas such as improving product catalogs, improving customer service solution processes, and increasing AI awareness among employees, and through AI-driven shopping, the retail experience will become proactive and help anticipate customers' needs before they realize it, the statement noted.

"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. There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalized and contextual. We are running towards that more enjoyable and convenient future with Sparky and through partnerships including this important step with OpenAI," Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said.

"We're excited to partner with Walmart to make everyday purchases a little simpler. It's just one way AI will help people every day under our work together," said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.