Walmart Opens Doors to AI Shopping Agents
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
The retail giant is implementing an 'Agent Gateway' to allow AI assistants to shop for customers, diverging from Amazon's restrictive approach.
Walmart is shifting its e-commerce strategy to accommodate non-human shoppers. According to reporting from The Verge, the retailer will soon allow customers to connect their own AI agents to its website and Sam’s Club to handle shopping tasks.
To facilitate this, Walmart has developed an “Agent Gateway” utilizing the Model Context Protocol. This open standard allows AI agents to integrate with web services directly, avoiding the friction of navigating a traditional browser. The system creates specific “Agent Profiles” within a user's account, which prevents agents from accessing a customer's full shopping history or personal data. For instance, Walmart notes that while it can help an agent identify a customer's preferred brand of milk or sourdough bread, it will not share the broader history with the agent.
Walmart is implementing strict guardrails for these agents, stating they cannot change payment methods or take actions beyond the shopper's intent. Users will maintain control via spending limits—such as a $100 budget—and the ability to review or approve purchases. Walmart has warned it will block any agents that fail to follow these terms.
This move represents a significant strategic split from Amazon, which The Verge reports has blocked AI assistants from Meta (Muse) and Perplexity.