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OpenAI partners with Walmart to enable ChatGPT shopping
OpenAI has teamed up with Walmart to allow shoppers to purchase products directly through ChatGPT, marking another step in the company’s effort to transform its popular chatbot into a virtual shopping assistant and strengthen its revenue base.
In a statement on Tuesday, Walmart said the new feature will enable customers to “simply chat and buy,” meaning users can instantly check out items — from groceries and household goods to any product they might be discussing with the chatbot — without leaving ChatGPT.
“For many years, e-commerce shopping experiences have relied on a search bar and a long list of items,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said. “That is about to change.”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the partnership will “make everyday purchases a little simpler.”
The companies have not yet confirmed when ChatGPT users will be able to start buying Walmart products directly through the platform, but Walmart said the feature will roll out “soon.”
The collaboration represents OpenAI’s latest expansion into online commerce, following similar partnerships launched recently with Shopify and Etsy. Working with Walmart — the largest retailer in the United States — marks a significant leap for OpenAI as it looks to compete with major players such as Amazon and Google for a share of the digital shopping market.
OpenAI has yet to turn a profit and continues to rely on investor funding to cover the costs of developing and operating its advanced AI systems. When announcing its Shopify and Etsy partnerships last month, the company said it was working with payments firm Stripe to build the technical framework for purchases via its “Instant Checkout” system.
Walmart, meanwhile, has been integrating AI across its operations and consumer platforms. On Tuesday, the Bentonville-based retail giant highlighted its AI shopping assistant “Sparky” and other uses of artificial intelligence at both Walmart and Sam’s Club. Members of Sam’s Club, owned by Walmart, will also be able to shop through ChatGPT once the new feature launches, reports UNB.
“AI is transforming everything we do, from smarter catalogs to faster delivery — and it only works if people trust it,” said Daniel Danker, Walmart’s executive vice president of AI Acceleration, Product and Design, in a statement to the Associated Press.
Shares of Walmart rose nearly 5% at market close on Tuesday following the announcement.