AI is changing store trips and couch shopping alike. Instead of blue links, more people ask an assistant what to buy. That will shift habits, baskets, and brand choice. It also raises a risk: if an AI holds gaps or errors about a product, the maker may lose the sale. This is why many teams now talk about Generative Engine Optimization. For a clear view of the shift in action, Digital Commerce 360 covers Walmart’s new agentic helper, Sparky, and what it can do.
According to Digital Commerce 360, Walmart rolled out Sparky to shoppers across categories and placed a smiling “Ask Sparky” button in its mobile app. The assistant helps customers search, compare options, and read condensed review notes. A Walmart executive calls Sparky a “trusted partner.” Walmart says upgrades are coming: automatic reorders and full multimodal input, so people can use text, images, audio, and video while they shop.
The retailer says Sparky runs on retail-tuned language models. It can handle detailed product questions, line up items side by side, suggest outfits, or plan gifts and events. Sparky joins other AI shopping tools at Walmart, like review summaries and AI search. Inside the company, a generative assistant named Wally supports merchants with sourcing work.
Walmart’s latest research shows how behavior is moving. Twenty-seven percent of shoppers now trust AI suggestions more than influencer tips (24%), while 46% say they are unlikely to let an assistant run an entire trip. In short: people test AI on easy buys first. The arc is clear, though: agentic AI will guide more carts. Keep brand facts clean across public sources, or risk wrong picks. For the full story and examples, read Digital Commerce 360’s report.