Walmart unveils tools allowing AI agents to shop for customers
Walmart has introduced 'Agent Profiles' to allow AI assistants to shop on behalf of customers, distinguishing itself from Amazon's restrictive policy. The tools enable AI to perform multi-step tasks like price comparison and purchasing within set spending limits.
Why it matters
This marks a significant shift in retail strategy as major corporations integrate autonomous AI agents directly into consumer shopping experiences.
Shoppers pause in the produce section at a Walmart Superstore in Secaucus, New Jersey, July 11, 2024. EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / AP US shopping giant Walmart on Wednesday, October 21, unveiled tools allowing artificial intelligence agents such as Meta's Muse to shop on behalf of its customers, taking the opposite approach to rival Amazon, which bars outside AI agents from its platform.
AI agents are programs that can carry out multi-step tasks on a user's behalf – such as searching for products, comparing prices and completing a purchase – rather than only answering questions as chatbots do.
Tech companies including OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and Meta are investing heavily in agents, which much of the industry sees as the next phase of the AI boom that followed the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022.
Headlinne story · 4 newsrooms
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