Walmart has announced a new partnership with OpenAI that will soon allow customers to shop at Walmart through ChatGPT using Instant Checkout. This will help them plan meals, restock household essentials, and more through ‘chat and buy’.
Walmart has introduced AI tools, featuring the generative AI-powered ‘Sparky,’ which can be accessed through its app to help customers with product recommendations and summarising product reviews, among other features.
The company’s increasing investment in AI is also focused on narrowing the gap with the online giant Amazon, which had an early advantage with its chatbot, Rufus, a GenAI-powered shopping assistant that responds to various shopping inquiries.
“For many years now, eCommerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses…There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalised and contextual,” said Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart, in a statement.
“We are running towards that more enjoyable and convenient future with Sparky and through partnerships, including this important step with OpenAI,” he added.
Last October, Walmart announced its AI, AR, and immersive shopping plans, including the launch of Wallaby in March 2025, a suite of retail-focused LLMs designed to improve customer interactions. Using decades of Walmart data, Wallaby integrates with other LLMs for customised responses.
Additionally, Walmart is equipping its associates with AI tools and training to promote AI literacy. It is one of the first retail companies to adopt OpenAI Certifications and implement ChatGPT Enterprise across the company.
Walmart’s collaboration with ChatGPT follows OpenAI’s partnership announcements with Etsy and Shopify in September. According to SimilarWeb data cited by Reuters, approximately 15% of Walmart’s total referral traffic in September originated from ChatGPT, an increase from 9.5% in August.
Nonetheless, according to the research firm, referrals represent only a small portion of traffic, with ChatGPT referrals making up less than 1% of Walmart’s overall web traffic.
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