Walmart Partners with OpenAI to Let You Shop via ChatGPT
On Tuesday Walmart said it’s teaming up with OpenAI to let shoppers order stuff straight from a ChatGPT chat. In practice that means you could type something like “need a pack of paper towels” and the bot pulls up Walmart’s huge online catalog, lets you pick a brand, and checks you out - all without opening the website. The range covers most things you’d find in a store - groceries (but not fresh produce), cleaning supplies, batteries, you name it. Checkout is supposed to be smooth, though it’s still unclear how returns will work.
What’s interesting is that this feels a lot like “agentic commerce,” where the AI basically acts as a personal shopper. Walmart says Sam’s Club members will get the same shortcut, so they won’t have to hunt through the app for member-only deals. Instead of scrolling pages, you just tell the chatbot what you need. It’s probably one of the first big pushes to mix everyday buying with conversational AI, and if it catches on, it could shift how a lot of people do their online shopping.
Walmart announced on Tuesday a new partnership with OpenAI that will allow consumers to shop Walmart’s products via the AI chatbot, including things like groceries (not fresh food), household essentials, and more, and then instantly check out. The agentic shopping feature will also allow Sam’s Club members to plan meals and restock essentials while also discovering new items when chatting with the AI, the company says. To use the feature, customers will press a “buy” button in ChatGPT’s app when they shop, after linking their Walmart accounts to ChatGPT.
Products from third-party sellers will also be supported when the feature rolls out later this fall. Walmart explains that the new agreement with OpenAI will allow the retailer to better learn and predict customers’ needs, making online shopping more personalized and proactive, instead of only reactive. The partnership follows OpenAI’s recent announcement of its plan to enter the world of e-commerce with an agentic shopping system, which includes product discovery, recommendation, and payments.
Walmart’s decision to plug its catalog straight into ChatGPT feels like a real pivot, AI is no longer just a help desk, it’s becoming a storefront. By letting shoppers add items through a conversation, the retailer is basically betting that talking to a bot will soon feel as normal as scrolling a website. It’s a smart move if you think people are already hanging out in AI chats, but the whole thing will only work if the bot sounds useful instead of just a sales pitch.
Can it really get the subtleties of planning a week’s meals or the pressure of a last-minute grocery run? That’s the question that will decide whether anyone actually buys anything. I’ll be keeping an eye on whether Amazon, Target or anyone else follows suit, it could spark a fresh round of retail one-upmanship.
For now, the ball’s in the chatbot’s court, and we’ll see if it can roll the cart forward.
Further Reading
- Walmart Partners with OpenAI for 2025 AI Skills Program - CoinCentral
- ChatGPT Just Became Walmart's Best Unpaid Sales Rep - Beehiiv
- ChatGPT Helps Walmart Welcome New Shoppers Through its Digital Doors - Business Insider
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Common Questions Answered
What types of Walmart products can be purchased through the new ChatGPT integration?
The integration allows customers to browse and buy a wide range of products from Walmart's online catalog, including groceries—though specifically excluding fresh food—and household essentials. This partnership is designed to offer a seamless checkout experience directly within the AI chatbot.
How does the new agentic shopping feature benefit Sam's Club members specifically?
Sam's Club members can use the agentic shopping feature to plan meals and restock their essential items while chatting with the AI. The feature is also designed to help members discover new products as they interact with the chatbot, enhancing their shopping experience.
What action do customers take to finalize a purchase using the Walmart and OpenAI partnership feature?
To complete a purchase, customers will press a 'buy' button that appears within the ChatGPT interface during their shopping conversation. This action facilitates an instant checkout process, making the transaction quick and integrated directly into the chat.
How does Walmart's partnership with OpenAI represent a shift in retail strategy regarding AI?
This move signals that Walmart views AI not merely as a customer service tool but as a primary sales channel. By integrating directly into ChatGPT, the company is betting on conversational commerce becoming a mainstream shopping habit to meet customers inside AI interfaces.