Walmart has announced a sweeping expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities through a suite of AI-powered “super agents” aimed at boosting both customer experience and operational efficiency. Revealed at an event in New York, the initiative marks a strategic shift in how the world’s largest retailer plans to drive future growth in its e-commerce and enterprise services.
The new agents—tailored for shoppers, store associates, suppliers, and developers—are built on agentic AI, a next-generation evolution of generative AI that can autonomously carry out tasks with minimal human input. These super agents will become the primary mode of interaction for different user groups, replacing and consolidating multiple existing tools.
The company aims to grow e-commerce to account for 50% of total sales within five years. With annual revenue at $648 billion, Walmart is banking on AI to stay competitive with digital-first giants like Amazon, which is also investing heavily in AI-powered platforms.
Sparky, Marty, and more: Walmart’s AI tools for every role
Walmart’s current GenAI assistant for shoppers, known as Sparky, already helps customers discover products, get review summaries, and receive tailored recommendations. In its upgraded “super agent” form, Sparky will expand its capabilities to include event planning, personalized shopping lists, and even recipe suggestions based on fridge contents using computer vision.
Other agents include “Marty” for suppliers and sellers, which will handle onboarding, order management, and ad campaign creation. For employees and store managers, Walmart is developing an “Associate” agent that will streamline internal queries—from submitting leave applications to checking sales data in real time.
A developer-focused super agent will also be introduced as a foundational platform for testing and launching future AI tools across the company.
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AI investment accelerates as leadership expands
Walmart’s latest announcements signal a long-term commitment to AI integration across its digital and physical footprint. This week, the company also named former Instacart executive Daniel Danker as EVP of AI acceleration, and announced a new EVP role dedicated entirely to AI product strategy.
While the company has not explicitly linked any layoffs to AI deployment, it has been modernizing fulfillment centers with automation and downsizing corporate teams in recent quarters. Walmart’s leadership maintains that AI will simplify tasks, boost productivity, and create new roles over time.
In the broader retail landscape, AI’s impact on workforce dynamics remains a topic of debate. As Walmart pushes forward with agentic AI, its strategy may become a model—or a cautionary tale—for how traditional retailers adapt to intelligent automation.
