A Walmart sign is posted on the exterior of a store in Hollywood, Florida, on November 20, 2025.
Joe Radle | Getty Images
walmart and google announced Sunday that shoppers will soon be able to use Google’s artificial intelligence assistant, Gemini, to more easily discover and purchase products from the retail giant and its warehouse club, Sam’s Club.
Incoming Walmart CEO John Furner and Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced their partnership on stage at the National Retail Federation Big Show, an annual industry conference held at the Javits Center in New York City.
The CEOs declined to say when the new features would be introduced or what the financial terms would be. The company said the experience will first launch in the U.S. and then expand internationally.
In partnership with Google, Walmart is ramping up its efforts to serve customers who are using AI chatbots to save time and find inspiration. In October, Walmart announced a deal with Gemini rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT to enable shoppers to purchase items without leaving the AI chatbot with an “instant checkout” feature. OpenAI recently launched its capabilities with Walmart and has instant checkout agreements with other retailers. Etsy and some Shopify Seller like Skims, Vuori, Spanx and more.
Walmart also has its own AI chatbot, a yellow smiley-faced assistant on an app called Sparky.
“The shift from traditional web and app search to agent-driven commerce represents the next big evolution in retail,” Furner said in a news release. “We’re not just seeing change, we’re driving it.”
Furner, who will take the top job at Walmart on February 1, said in remarks on stage that Walmart is “rewriting our retail strategy” and using AI to “close the gap between what we want and what we have.”
Pichai said Google is excited to be working with Walmart and called the introduction of AI a “transformative” moment.
For Walmart, evolving customer shopping habits, such as searches starting with AI chatbots rather than proprietary apps or websites, are reshaping the retailer’s digital strategy. David Guggina, chief e-commerce officer at Walmart US, said in a statement that Agent AI “helps us meet customers earlier in their shopping journey and in more places.”
“Over time, these agents will help customers find what they need, want and like,” he said.
Walmart leaders have also been vocal about how AI will change the workforce and the roles of employees, comments that carry added weight since the company is the largest private employer in the United States.
“It’s clear that AI is going to change literally every job,” Doug McMillon, Walmart’s outgoing CEO who will be replaced by Furner, said of the technology’s far-reaching impact.
