Walmart introduces tools letting AI agents shop for customers, unlike rival Amazon

Walmart has introduced tools that allow artificial intelligence (AI) agents to shop for customers. The Verge, Le Monde and Reuters all report the move.

The approach contrasts with that of rival Amazon, which bars outside AI agents from its platform, according to The Verge and Le Monde.

How the system works

According to Reuters, Walmart introduced the tools on Wednesday. Reuters reported that the tools will allow AI agents to complete transactions for customers. The Verge reported that customers will be able to use AI agents on Walmart's site starting next month.

According to The Verge, agents will connect to new "Agent Profiles" within Walmart. By default, Walmart will require customer approval for every purchase an agent makes. Customers can instead let the agent shop within a set budget, such as up to $100. They will be able to review an agent's purchases separately from their own. They can also turn the agent off at any time.

The Verge also reported that Walmart has built an "Agent Gateway", currently in beta. It connects AI agents through the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that lets AI agents plug into different web services. Customers will also be able to shop with AI agents on Sam's Club, according to The Verge.

Walmart has set out terms for AI agents, The Verge reported. Under these terms, agents cannot change a customer's payment method. They can access only the information needed to complete their task. The Verge quoted the terms as saying "agents must not take actions beyond what the shopper intends".

According to The Verge, Amazon has blocked Perplexity's shopping agent and Meta's Muse AI assistant.

Reuters described the move as part of Walmart's effort to position itself in the growing use of AI-powered assistants in online commerce.

What each side says

Walmart says it will block AI agents that do not follow its terms, according to The Verge. The company says its Agent Gateway lets agents shop without the problems they might run into when navigating a browser. It says the gateway prevents agents from accessing customers' shopping history and personal information.

"For example, if a customer tends to buy sourdough bread or a particular brand of milk, Walmart will help the agent find those usual items for the customer without sharing the customer's broader shopping history with the agent," Walmart said, as quoted by The Verge.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any response from Amazon, Perplexity or Meta.

What remains unclear

Only The Verge describes the feature details. The Reuters and Le Monde reports reviewed by Vocemundi consist of summaries only. The reports do not give an exact launch date beyond The Verge's "next month". They do not explain how the tools "introduced" on Wednesday relate to the Agent Gateway's beta status. They do not say which AI agents or companies can connect, or in which countries the feature will be available. They also do not explain how Walmart will enforce its terms. Nor do they describe fees, liability for erroneous agent purchases, or any independent assessment of the privacy protections Walmart describes.

Analysis

Walmart and Amazon are taking different approaches to outside AI agents. Walmart is opening its platform under set terms, while Amazon bars such agents. If the controls described by The Verge work as stated, they could serve as one model for how retailers manage agent purchases. However, key questions remain open, including enforcement, liability for mistaken purchases and independent checks on privacy. Wider adoption could depend on how customers, AI developers and regulators respond. It could also depend on whether other retailers follow either company's approach. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not show which approach customers prefer or how either will perform over time.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.