Walmart debuted an app-only generative artificial intelligence chatbot, named Sparky, that can summarize reviews, offer product recommendations based on shopper requests and create product comparisons.
Walmart displays the “Ask Sparky” feature as a main button on the bottom navigation bar of its app. Sparky can answer non-product-specific questions as well, such as the weather, sporting schedule, how-to fix a faucet or dinner ideas, according to Walmart’s press release. It will then suggest products related to these queries, such as apparel, team jerseys, tools and food.
The generative AI chatbot, is akin to Amazon’s chatbot Rufus, which it launched one year ago in July 2024.
In the future, Walmart’s chatbot will be able to book services and make purchases on behalf of customers. Walmart declined to share additional information, such as why the feature is only available in its app and when it will become more agent like.
In Walmart’s headline announcing the feature — “Walmart: The Future of Shopping Is Agentic. Meet Sparky” the mass merchant teased that it built Sparky with the much-hyped agentic AI.
However, without the capability to autonomously perform booking tasks, the chatbot is not built with agentic AI but with generative AI. Walmart appears to be adding agentic features in the future, said Sucharita Kodali, vice president, principal analyst at Forrester Research.
“I’m not sure it will be earth-shattering for anyone in its current form,” Kodali said. “But given Walmart is Amazon’s only real competitor now, they would be remiss to not continuously release comparable features.”
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