Walmart, ChatGPT team up for shopping, purchases

ChatGPT is teaming with Walmart.

The nation’s largest retailer announced a new partnership Tuesday with OpenAI, aimed at helping shoppers make purchases using the tech startup’s chatbot app.

“For many years now, eCommerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement.

The OpenAI announcement is part of a broader push by Walmart, the biggest private employer in the U.S., to incorporate AI into its daily operations.

It was unclear Tuesday what the terms of the Walmart-AI partnership would be.

The Walmart collaboration is the latest in a flurry of new deals for OpenAI, which has announced long-term partnerships in recent weeks with several of the biggest AI and chip companies.

“We’re excited to partner with Walmart to make everyday purchases a little simpler. It’s just one way AI will help people every day under our work together,” Sam Altman, the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, said in a statement.

The partnership could also serve OpenAI by introducing ChatGPT to a massive set of consumers who may not be as accustomed to using AI chats in their shopping as OpenAI’s core user base.

“There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalized and contextual,” said McMillon.