Walmart Bets Big on AI—Launches GenAI Shopping Assistant to Outflank Amazon

Retail giant Walmart just fired its latest salvo in the AI arms race—deploying a generative AI shopping assistant across its platforms. Because nothing says ''innovation'' like squeezing more profit from impulse buys.

The move signals Walmart''s push to dominate tech-driven retail—even as Wall Street yawns at yet another ''AI-powered'' gimmick. Will it boost sales? Probably. Will it make your self-checkout experience less dystopian? Don''t hold your breath.

Confident Investing Starts Here:

• Easily unpack a company''s performance with TipRanks'' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions
• Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks'' Smart Value Newsletter

It can help answer product questions from customers and compare options.

Smiling Sparky

According to Walmart, customers can access Sparky via a smiling ‘Ask Sparky’ button in the Walmart app. The new system helps customers search for items, synthesize reviews and helps them to “prepare for any occasion.”

This could include finding the right top to wear for a particular celebration or the perfect toy for a nephew’s birthday.

Customers could also ask Sparky what sports teams are playing that night or check the weather at the beach they are heading to and get an outfit suitable for either occasion.

Walmart said Sparky takes the “guesswork out of shopping, making recommendations so customers can add to cart with confidence. Sparky provides instant and comprehensive answers to product-related questions, helping customers quickly understand specific features, compare items and make informed choices.”

Value Focus

Walmart’s reputation as a value retailer will also be at the fore with the company stating that every option and recommendation will have the customer’s budget in mind.

This is just the first stage of Sparky.

Walmart wants the assistant to provide more services, such as allowing customers to better customize their shopping experience, including automatically reordering household essentials. The retailer said Sparky WOULD be multi-modal — able to understand text, images, audio, and video.

Walmart is steadily developing its AI services, such as searches within its navigation bar, summaries of product reviews, descriptions and comparisons, as well as fashion design.

Is WMT a Good Stock to Buy Now?

On TipRanks, WMT has a Strong Buy consensus based on 28 Buy and 2 Hold ratings. Its highest price target is $120. WMT stock’s consensus price target is $109.71 implying an 13.59% upside.

See more WMT analyst ratings