Walmart embarks on an extensive AI initiative with 'super agent' approach
Walmart Unveils Unified AI Framework with Four Super Agents
Retail giant Walmart is stepping up its AI game, aiming to revolutionize its operations and customer experience with the launch of a new companywide AI framework. The core of this framework is four "super agents," each designed as a comprehensive AI assistant for distinct groups within Walmart's ecosystem.
- Sparky (Customer Agent): Already live in Walmart's app, Sparky is the customer-facing super agent. It helps shoppers find products, provides personalized recommendations, summarizes reviews, and will eventually support event planning and reordering. Sparky streamlines the shopping experience by assisting with product discovery, returns, and more.
- Associate Agent (Employee Agent): Expected to launch in 2026, the Associate Agent is designed for Walmart employees. It will assist with tasks such as scheduling parental leave, replacing lost discount cards, answering benefits questions, and granting managers easy access to sales data. This agent aims to improve store operations and workforce management.
- Marty (Supplier/Partner Agent): Scheduled for launch soon, Marty will help suppliers, sellers, and advertisers with inventory analytics, managing onboarding, order processing, and suggesting advertising campaigns. This agent aims to optimize sales and inventory management across the supply chain.
- Developer Agent (Engineering Agent): Set to be released next year, the Developer Agent will support Walmart's software developers by accelerating routine tasks like software testing, building, and launching new innovations. It will help save developer time and improve the speed of technology deployments.
These super agents are designed to unify and simplify access to AI-powered services, replacing a previously complex set of standalone AI tools.
Walmart has also made strides in using AI to combat fraud in its marketplace, reviewing product listings for intellectual property infringement or policy violations. Additionally, Walmart has created a super agent for partners (suppliers, advertisers, and sellers) named Marty.
The AI implementation has already shown significant results, with AI use cutting resolution times in Walmart's customer support by up to 40%. Digital twin technology, used by Walmart, has reduced emergency maintenance by 30% and repair costs by nearly 20% in pilot cases. AI has also cut fashion production timelines at Walmart by up to 18 weeks.
Moreover, AI has minimized the time needed for shift planning by Walmart team leads from 90 minutes to just 30 minutes. Walmart aims to use AI to achieve three-hour delivery to 95% of U.S. households by the end of this year.
Walmart has appointed Daniel Danker as its Executive Vice President of AI Acceleration, Product, and Design, and has created a new executive vice president of AI platforms position.
With these advancements, Walmart is positioning itself to meet its goal for e-commerce to comprise 50% of total sales within five years.
[1] Walmart AI Framework: https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2022/07/19/walmart-unveils-new-ai-framework-to-accelerate-innovation-across-the-company [2] Walmart's AI Approach to Fraud: https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2022/07/19/walmart-uses-ai-to-fight-fraud-in-its-marketplace [3] AI in Walmart's Supply Chain: https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2022/07/19/walmart-uses-ai-to-improve-supply-chain-efficiency [4] AI in Walmart's Employee Management: https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2022/07/19/walmart-uses-ai-to-streamline-employee-management
- Walmart's Executive Vice President of AI Acceleration, Product, and Design, Daniel Danker, is leading the company's efforts to have e-commerce account for 50% of total sales within the next five years.
- The AI framework unveiled by Walmart comprises four super agents, each designed for specific groups within its ecosystem: customers, employees, suppliers, and software developers.
- Sparky, the customer-facing super agent, is currently live in Walmart's app, assisting shoppers with product discovery, recommendations, reviews, and more, with plans to expand its services to event planning and reordering.
- In addition to the super agents, Walmart has made strategic uses of AI to combat fraud in the marketplace, optimize the supply chain, speed up fashion production, and streamline employee management tasks, among other applications.
