Walmart Partners with ChatGPT for Automatic Shopping Feature
A close up of a cell phone on a table with Walmart logo. Photo via Unsplash, Marques Thomas.
OpenAI has partnered with Walmart to create the newest improvement in modern-day technology. This partnership will allow customers and ChatGPT users to complete entire purchases from Walmart directly through the AI platform, calling it “agentic commerce.”
ChatGPT users from all over the world will be able to type in a prompt like “find me TVs for under $300,” and the AI will take over from there. It will search, compare and evaluate different products or services, then present the options to the user for purchase. In just a few clicks, a customer can go from chat to checkout with a suitable product.
OpenAI described the new feature as a “digital personal shopper,” with orders and payments still being controlled by the merchant. ChatGPT will be open-sourcing this new technology so that more companies and developers can develop their own code or design to be implemented into the service. The companies have not released when the service will be available, but many believe it will be out in time for the holiday season.
Walmart isn't the only company to implement AI into its website, with many companies putting in assistant shoppers who can answer any questions a customer may have. On Sept. 29, OpenAI released its new Instant Checkout feature, allowing users to buy products directly from Etsy sellers without leaving the chat. They have started expanding the product base, making partnerships with Shopify and now Walmart.
This new partnership is a major step up in technology, and many companies will likely follow suit, implementing more and more AI into their products.
This should be a success for both companies, as more than 700 million people use ChatGPT each week. This incredibly large user base will allow Walmart to increase its overall sales and become even more of a global powerhouse.
Walmart insists that the new changes won't replace the human connection, and it's just to make everyday moments easier for all. Their approach stays the same, people-led and tech-powered, helping people save money and live better.