"Shop for Me Under $100"... U.S. Walmart to Introduce AI Shopping Agents

Dedicated Profiles for Each AI Agent
Expanding Agent Commerce, with Customers Setting Their Own Spending Limits

Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, is introducing a shopping feature that allows AI agents to find products and make purchases on behalf of consumers. Consumers can set spending limits for AI themselves or require approval for every purchase.

An image depicting AI recommending products on the Walmart app, adding them to a cart, or completing a purchase. Analytics Vidhya

On Oct. 21 local time, Walmart announced that it would introduce "Agent Profiles," which enable AI agents to shop at Walmart and Sam's Club on behalf of customers, and the "Walmart Agent Gateway," a dedicated entry point for AI. Walmart is currently expanding its online shopping experience not only through its own online store but also through various AI services, including its AI shopping assistant Sparky, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini.

A "Separate Profile" for AI...Customers Also Set Spending Limits

The new system gives AI the authority to make actual purchases while ensuring that consumers retain final control. Currently, when an AI agent shops on a customer's behalf, it logs in using the customer's account, making it difficult to distinguish between items purchased by the customer and those purchased by AI.

Starting next month, Walmart's new "Agent Profiles" will address this issue by creating a separate profile within a customer's account for each AI agent. Consumers will be able to check separately which items each AI has purchased and set its purchasing permissions themselves. For example, they can require AI to get their approval every time it buys something, or allow it to make purchases without separate approval up to a set amount, such as $50, $100, or $200.

AI-powered shopping newly introduced by U.S. retail giant Walmart. A separate agent profile is created. Walmart website.

Walmart said the system is similar to adding a family member or another user to a credit card. Consumers can grant AI a certain level of purchasing authority and set a spending limit while continuing to monitor its transaction history. They can also delete an AI's profile at any time to revoke its purchasing authority.

Using AI will not change product prices. Walmart said, "We price products, not people," adding that the prices AI agents and people see on Walmart.com are the same.

"Buy the Milk I Usually Get"...Finds It Without Sharing Purchase History

Walmart is also building the "Walmart Agent Gateway" to make AI shopping faster and more reliable. Currently, for an AI agent to buy something on Walmart's website, it has to go through the same steps as a person: opening a webpage, finding a product, clicking buttons, and logging in.

Walmart said that existing websites are designed for people to use directly, so AI shopping can be slow or encounter errors partway through the process. The new gateway will provide a dedicated channel for AI agents to communicate directly with Walmart's systems. Walmart plans to initially launch a beta service for businesses and developers.

Vegetables are on display at a Walmart store in the United States. Shutterstock

In particular, the system is designed to help AI find products customers usually buy without sharing their full purchase history or personal information with AI companies. For example, if a customer often buys milk or bread from a particular brand, Walmart can find those products and support the AI's purchase without disclosing the customer's full shopping history to the AI.

Card Details Won't Be Shared with AI...Customer Approval Is the Default for Purchases

Walmart has also put safeguards in place, since AI will be making payments on customers' behalf. Under the principles Walmart has set out for using AI agents, AI must obtain customer approval by default before purchasing an item. Even when a customer has authorized automatic purchases up to a certain amount, Walmart may require additional approval if it deems it necessary.

AI must not take actions that customers did not intend, and it will not be given direct access to payment information such as customers' credit or debit card numbers. It also cannot add or change a customer's payment method. In addition, it can access only the information needed for shopping that the customer has authorized it to use.

If an AI agent purchases a product that does not match the customer's intent, Walmart's existing return policy will apply. AI agents that do not comply with Walmart's rules may be blocked from accessing the site. Walmart said, "Shopping with AI agents is not for every customer, nor does it need to be," adding, "Our goal is to build clear controls and safeguards from the outset so that customers who choose to use them can do so with confidence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.