Walmart is investing in new artificial intelligence features for its mobile app to encourage more in-store engagement. The retailer has revealed six AI-enabled tools designed to improve navigation, savings discovery, product exploration, and overall shopping convenience. Since customers using the app already spend significantly more than those shopping without it, Walmart aims to strengthen that trend with smarter digital tools.
Why Walmart Is Betting on AI
In-store customers using Walmart’s app spend about 25 percent more on their visits. Because of this, Walmart is introducing additional AI-powered capabilities to encourage higher engagement. These tools offer better search, easier savings discovery, and tailored assistance for specific needs such as event planning or home decoration.
New In-Store Savings Finder
The In-Store Savings tool helps shoppers locate deals quickly, including Black Friday promotions, rollbacks, and clearance items. Customers can filter categories such as TVs, compare prices, and access discounts on a single screen. The tool aims to simplify the hunt for savings during busy seasons.
Smarter Search and Navigation
Walmart has added enhanced search and real-time navigation to support in-store shoppers. The updated app now allows customers to search as they would online while checking in-stock availability. The app then displays precise shelf locations to reduce time spent looking for items.
Wish List Organization for Faster Trips
A new wish list feature integrates with in-store navigation. Shoppers can save items and view a fully organized aisle-by-aisle list with one tap. This turns the shopping process into a faster and more efficient experience, especially during seasonal shopping peaks.
AI Support for Event and Party Planning
Walmart’s generative AI assistant, Sparky, now includes a party-planning function. Customers can enter the type of event, and Sparky instantly produces a curated list of essentials. This includes decorations, food, drinks, and other items suited to the occasion, helping customers plan without stress.
AI-Generated Audio Summaries
Walmart is rolling out AI-powered audio clips that summarize product descriptions and reviews. These summaries help shoppers understand product details quickly without reading long text. The feature is currently available for more than a thousand premium beauty products.
Interactive 3D Showrooms in the App
Walmart is using AI to rework product images into interactive 3D showrooms. Shoppers can preview designed spaces, view alternate layouts, and replace furnishings to match their taste. A Shop the Background feature lets customers click on items shown in lifestyle images and add them directly to their cart. This creates a more immersive experience that can influence in-store purchases.
Executive Insight on AI Adoption
Tracy Poulliot, Walmart’s SVP of Shopping Experiences, said the company wants to make holiday shopping more joyful through technology. She emphasized that customers benefit whether they shop at home or in stores, as the tools help them finish their shopping tasks faster and with less difficulty.
Survey Shows Growing Use of Mobile Tools
Insights from the Spar Shopper Survey show that 40 percent of adults use mobile devices regularly while shopping in stores. The most important features that encourage in-store visits include mobile coupons, self-checkout, scan-and-go tools, smartphone payments, Wi-Fi availability, aisle guidance, online circulars, and retailer app support. These findings suggest that Walmart’s AI rollout aligns with shopper expectations for technology-driven convenience.
The Future of Walmart’s In-Store Experience
Walmart’s new AI tools highlight the growing connection between digital convenience and physical retail. Because more customers want faster navigation, easier price comparison, and personalized help, the new features could further increase spending by enhancing efficiency and engagement. As Walmart continues to expand its AI capabilities, it positions itself to shape the next phase of in-store shopping across the United States.
