BENTONVILLE, Ark.—Walmart is rolling out a suite of new artificial intelligence features aimed at streamlining holiday shopping, the company announced.
The updates, now live on the retailer’s mobile app and website, are designed to help shoppers find deals, navigate stores more efficiently and plan purchases in advance, PYMNTS said.
Among the additions are an In-Store Savings tool that highlights sale items at a chosen store, an upgraded search function that shows product availability and precise shelf location, and a smart shopping-list feature that automatically organizes items by aisle to speed up in-store trips, PYMNTS said.
The retailer’s Gen AI-powered digital assistant, Sparky, can now serve as a party planner. When users tell it about the occasion they are preparing for, Sparky creates a curated list of the items they will need.
Additional capabilities include AI-generated audio summaries for premium beauty items, giving shoppers quick, spoken overviews of product details. A new “Shop the Background” tool lets users tap on décor or accessories shown in product photos and add them directly to their cart. Walmart has also introduced a Dynamic Showroom experience, allowing customers to design virtual rooms — from bedrooms to dining areas — by selecting furniture and décor to visualize how pieces fit together before buying, PYMNTS said.
“Whether customers are holiday shopping in our stores or from the comfort of home, we’re giving them the tools to check off their lists quicker and easier than ever before,” Tracy Poulliot, senior vice president, shopping experiences at Walmart U.S., stated in a release.