Announced in Bentonville, Arkansas, this collaboration marks Walmart’s latest venture into the realm of AI-driven commerce. The partnership empowers both Walmart and Sam’s Club shoppers to engage with products and complete transactions right within ChatGPT, thanks to a feature aptly named Instant Checkout. Customers can articulate their shopping needs in a conversational manner, with the advanced language model assisting in the purchase process that Walmart will then fulfill.

OpenAI refers to this feature as a “digital personal shopper,” highlighting that all aspects of the transaction — from orders to payment and fulfillment — are managed by the retailer. This initiative follows an existing partnership with Etsy, and OpenAI has indicated that other Shopify merchants, such as Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx, and Vuori, are expected to join the Instant Checkout experience shortly.

Walmart’s President and CEO, Doug McMillon, expressed enthusiasm in a press release, stating, “For many years now, eCommerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change. There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalized and contextual.” This development is poised to redefine how consumers interact with online shopping, making it more intuitive and tailored to individual preferences.

“For many years now, eCommerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change,” said Doug McMillon, Walmart’s president and chief executive, in a news release announcing the collaboration. “There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalized and contextual.”

Other retailers have introduced AI into their shopping experiences, like Amazon’s Rufus personal shopper chatbot. 

The partnership represents what Walmart calls “agentic commerce” — AI that anticipates customer needs rather than simply responding to search queries. The technology aims to help shoppers with tasks ranging from meal planning to restocking household items.

Walmart already uses AI across its operations, including enhancing product catalogs and customer service. The company said the technology has reduced fashion production timelines by up to 18 weeks and cut customer care resolution times by up to 40%. 

The companies did not specify when the shopping feature will become available to customers. CNN reports it is set to launch sometime this fall, followed by a rollout of Sam’s Club items.