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Lorikeet News Desk
Jun 16, 2025
TL;DR
Walmart introduces Sparky, a generative AI assistant, to enhance shopping experiences by offering personalized recommendations and product comparisons.
Sparky acts as a personal shopping concierge, providing occasion-based insights and potentially automating tasks like reordering essentials.
The AI tool is part of Walmart's strategy to create an "agentic future," where AI anticipates and acts on user needs, reshaping retail interactions.
Walmart is rolling out a new generative AI-powered assistant called "Sparky" integrated into its app and website. The tool is designed to change how millions of customers shop by helping them search, compare products, and get personalized recommendations.
AI concierge service: Sparky promises to act like a personal shopping buddy, synthesizing reviews and offering occasion-based insights, like finding the right jersey for a game or planning a party. Walmart's announcement details how customers can ask the AI about sports events or weather to get outfit suggestions.
Future forward features: Beyond current capabilities, Walmart envisions Sparky automatically reordering essentials and even booking services. Desiree Gosby, Walmart’s SVP of Tech Strategy and Emerging Tech, stated the goal is for Sparky to eventually understand text, images, audio, and video, becoming deeply woven into customers' lives.
Agentic ambitions: The retailer’s push towards an "agentic future" means AI that doesn't just respond but proactively anticipates and acts on user needs. This includes illustrative examples like Sparky turning a "What's for dinner?" query into a week of meal plans with items added to the cart, or guiding a user through fixing a leaky faucet with tools ordered for same-day delivery.
The bottom line: While Sparky isn't Walmart's first AI venture, its purpose is to consolidate existing AI tools into an interactive, conversational format. The app includes a disclaimer that Sparky "may make mistakes", a nod to the current limitations of generative AI, but Walmart views the assistant as a foundational step in reshaping retail. Meanwhile, Amazon is investing $20 billion in AI and cloud data centers, underscoring the broader tech race. Walmart itself is also expanding its OnePay digital banking system as it diversifies its tech-driven services. For a deeper dive into consumer sentiment, Walmart’s own “Retail Rewired report 2025” offers insights on AI adoption in shopping.
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