Walmart unveils five new AI-powered in-store shopping tools
Walmart is leaning into AI to help drive in-store shopping and improve the customer experience.
Just in time for holiday shopping, the retail giant is launching five new AI-powered digital tools designed to make in-store shopping easier and faster. Built into the Walmart app, the tools are personalized for every location and come to life when a shopper steps inside a Walmart store. The retailer noted that customers who use the app while they shop in stores, spend 25% more on average than on trips when they don’t use the app.
The new deployments include a savings tool that gives customers ability to see what items are for sale in their local Walmart store — something that the company said is one of the most requested features by customers. The tool allows shoppers to find savings in a single tap, including Black Friday deals, price “rollbacks” and clearance items.
Customers can also filter items by category (for example, TVs on sale) and compare prices, all on one screen.
Walmart is also providing enhanced search and navigation on its app. Customers in stores can now search for items just as they would if they were online shopping. The app then shows the item’s location in the store.
Walmart’s other new tools include the following.
- Wish list integration: Customers can create, save and shop wish lists that, with a tap, are automatically sorted by aisle for a seamless in-store experience, making for quick, easy and organized shopping.
- AI-powered party planning: Walmart’s GenAI-powered digital assistant, Sparky, has a new enhancement that helps customers plan for festive fun. The assistant can now create a curated party shopping list for any occasion that features everything customers need — from decorations to champagne and confetti.
- AI-generated Audio Summaries: New AI-generated summaries transform product details and reviews into short, digestible audio clips that can help customers purchase gifts on the go. The feature is available across more than 1,000 premium beauty products.
“The most wonderful time of the year should be joyful, and with the power of AI and technology, we're making that possible,” said Tracy Poulliot, senior VP, shopping experiences, Walmart U.S. “Whether customers are holiday shopping in our stores or from the comfort of home, we’re giving them the tools to check off their lists quicker and easier than ever before."
