2026-03-18 18:01 UTC

Why Walmart and OpenAI Are Shaking Up Their Agentic Shopping Deal

After OpenAI’s Instant Checkout feature fell short, Walmart is instead embedding its Sparky chatbot directly into ChatGPT and Google Gemini.

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Photo-illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Since November, Walmart has let some ChatGPT users order a limited selection of products without ever leaving OpenAI’s chatbot interface.

Sales have been disappointing, a Walmart executive vice president exclusively tells WIRED.

The results suggest that a future where chatbots and AI agents take over ecommerce is still a way off, if it ever materializes.

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