Walmart has forged a deal with OpenAI to allow customers and Sam’s Club members to purchase goods directly through ChatGPT using its Instant Checkout system. The move turns the AI chatbot into a full-fledged retail interface, collapsing the gap between conversational query and completed sale.
Shares of Walmart rose about 3 percent following the announcement, signalling investor confidence in this bold shift in e-commerce.
The companies say that shoppers will be able to “simply chat and buy” — whether restocking household essentials, planning meals, or exploring new products — without leaving the ChatGPT interface. Walmart describes the upcoming experience as “multi-media, personalized and contextual,” departing from the traditional search bar and static product listings.
Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Walmart, said that e-commerce has long been stuck in the mode of “a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change.” Walmart is coupling this customer-facing innovation with internal AI advances: it claims that AI has already reduced fashion product development cycles by up to 18 weeks and trimmed customer service resolution times by up to 40 percent.
OpenAI’s cofounder and CEO Sam Altman framed the collaboration as a step toward making everyday transactions fluid. He said the partnership “makes everyday purchases a little simpler.”
This latest move builds upon OpenAI’s earlier rollout of Instant Checkout with platforms such as Etsy and Shopify. Those integrations, which currently support single-item purchases, are being expanded, and adding Walmart brings the scale and brand recognition of a retail giant to the system.
Walmart is also pushing this shift through its own AI work. Inside the company, it has introduced “Sparky,” a generative AI shopping assistant, and is rolling out ChatGPT Enterprise across teams. Walmart is promoting AI literacy among its workforce and anchoring the shift with OpenAI certifications for employees.
Industry watchers view this as a leap into what some call “agentic commerce” — AI agents that not only respond to requests but anticipate and act on user intent. Analysts see this integration as a potential turning point, especially if consumers embrace chat-based interactions as the new retail doorway.
Yet questions remain about timing, adoption, and the consumer comfort level with letting AI mediate purchases. Walmart has not disclosed a firm launch date, stating only that the ChatGPT shopping feature is coming soon.