Walmart launches AI agent shopping tools to enable automated purchases

Walmart has announced two new initiatives, “Agent Profiles” and the “Walmart Agent Gateway,” designed to allow third-party AI agents to conduct shopping tasks on behalf of customers. Scheduled for release in November, Agent Profiles will allow users to create dedicated profiles for different AI assistants within their Walmart accounts. This feature enables customers to set specific spending limits—such as $50, $100, or $200—and requires manual approval for transactions, ensuring users maintain control over automated spending.

The Walmart Agent Gateway utilizes the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to provide a direct interface for AI applications like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Meta’s Muse. This allows agents to interact with inventory and checkout systems more efficiently than navigating a standard human-centric website. To protect privacy, the system is designed to share only necessary task-related information, such as preferred brands, without exposing a user’s entire purchase history or sensitive payment card details.

This strategic move contrasts with competitor Amazon, which has taken a more restrictive stance by blocking certain third-party AI agents, such as Meta’s Muse, from its platform. While Walmart embraces “agentic commerce,” Amazon has focused on protecting its controlled ecosystem of search, advertising, and recommendations from external automated tools.