Walmart Introduces AI Assistant 'Sparky' to Revolutionize Shopping Experience

Walmart Just Made a Big Change, and I Can't Decide If Customers Will Love or Hate It

It isn't hard to imagine all of the ways this could be helpful, but there's also a huge risk. First, there's the risk that comes with every AI tool, which is that it'll just make up stuff that might not be true. Walmart even included a disclaimer right in the app warning customers that Sparky "may make mistakes." There's also the possibility that Walmart won't be able to deliver on its promise. You don't have to look very far to find examples of companies making big promises about how AI is going to change the way customers do something, only for those companies to fail to deliver. Apple, for example, is facing scrutiny as it kicks off its Worldwide Developer Conference this week because it hasn't been able to ship features it promised last year, including the only thing anyone really wants: a smarter Siri. Do you need AI to buy groceries? I also can't help but wonder if this is going to be a little too much for some people. After all, we're not talking about a fancy tech gadget or niche product -- we're talking about Walmart. A place where millions of people go to restock toilet paper and grab snacks before a road trip. Will customers really want -- or need -- an AI assistant to help them figure that out? Walmart seems to think so. According to Desiree Gosby, the company's Senior Vice President of Tech Strategy and Emerging Tech, Sparky is just the beginning of what Walmart is calling an "agentic" future -- one where AI doesn't just respond, it takes initiative. In the months ahead, Sparky will gain the ability to understand not just text but also images, audio, and even video. That means you could take a picture of a messy kitchen drawer, and Sparky could recommend an organizer that fits. Or, you could show it a video of a leaky faucet and get step-by-step instructions, plus a cart pre-filled with the tools you'll need -- delivered the same day.

Walmart Bets On AI Assistant Sparky To Ignite Sales | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Customers can now access the generative AI-powered "Sparky" on the Walmart app, the retail giant said in an Friday (June 6) announcement. "Sparky helps customers search to find items, synthesize reviews, and offers insights to prepare for any occasion -- from looking up current sporting events and finding the right jersey to planning celebrations and picking out the perfect toy," Walmart said. "For example, all within the Sparky platform, a customer can ask what sports teams are playing that night or check the weather at the beach they're heading to -- and get the perfect outfit recommended." In addition to making recommendations, Sparky also provides "instant and comprehensive" answers to product questions, the announcement added, helping customers understand specific features, compare items and make informed choices. "Soon, Sparky will do even more -- giving customers the power to customize their experience, from automatically reordering household essentials to booking services that simplify even the most complex shopping tasks," the company said. Walmart said the assistant will be multi-modal (able to understand text, images, audio and video), "seamlessly weaving into customers' lives to unlock instant access to the products and services they need, whenever and however they shop." Walmart is rolling out Sparky at a time when it and rival Amazon are feeling pressure from changing consumer spending habits, as covered here late last month. "Recent earnings reports have delivered a warning shot for both industry heavyweights," PYMNTS wrote. "After years of riding the tailwinds of a pandemic-induced shift to digital shopping, both companies now face a slower-growth environment as consumer spending patterns evolve and tariffs threaten price increases on everything from furniture to clothing." In the first three months of 2025, Amazon and Walmart posted their weakest quarterly sales growth since before the COVID pandemic: 3.7% for Amazon, 3.2% for Walmart. These numbers barely outpaced inflation and marked a sharp drop from their average growth in past years. To combat this trend, PYMNTS noted in a separate report last week, both companies are embracing AI innovation, part of a broader trend of retailers rolling out AI assistants. The PYMNTS Intelligence report "Getting to Know You: How AI Is Shaping the Future of Shopping" shows that retailers are hoping to tap into the increasing consumer interest in AI-powered shopping agents. The report also found that most consumers want to take part in AI shopping journeys on at least some level.