You can now shop at Walmart using ChatGPT
What's the story
Walmart, the largest retailer in the US, has announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI. The collaboration will enable shoppers to use OpenAI's chatbot app, ChatGPT, for making purchases. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said this partnership is a major step toward transforming e-commerce shopping experiences beyond just search bars and long lists of item responses.
Feature expansion
ChatGPT to help consumers shop for groceries, household essentials
Walmart's partnership with OpenAI will allow consumers to shop for groceries, household essentials, and more through ChatGPT. The feature will also let Sam's Club members plan meals and restock essentials while discovering new items during their chat with the AI. To use this feature, customers will have to link their Walmart accounts to ChatGPT and press a "buy" button in the app when shopping.
Partnership benefits
Sam Altman welcomes Walmart collaboration
Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, expressed his excitement over the partnership with Walmart. He said they are thrilled to partner with Walmart to simplify everyday purchases. The collaboration could also introduce ChatGPT to a massive consumer base that may not be as familiar with using AI chats in their shopping as OpenAI's core user base is.
AI competition
Walmart's AI shopping chatbot lagged behind Amazon's Rufus
The partnership comes as part of Walmart's larger initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into its operations. The move comes as a response to Amazon's early lead in the AI-powered online shopping space with its Rufus shopping assistant. While Amazon launched Rufus back in February 2024, Walmart introduced its own AI shopping chatbot, Sparky, only in June.
Privacy issues
Concerns about AI reliability and privacy risks
Despite the rapid adoption of AI in shopping, there are still concerns about its reliability. The technology can sometimes suggest products that are completely off the mark. Moreover, online privacy advocates warn that using AI assistants for shopping could give retailers even more information about consumers than they already collect.