Walmart is in the process of deploying AI-powered tools to meet key store associate requirements, including a task management solution that has reduced shift planning times from 90 to 30 minutes. Available through the Walmart associate app, new features include translation in 44 languages to facilitate multi-lingual conversations among associates and customers.
Additionally, a major platform upgrade slated for the coming months expands capabilities for Walmart’s conversational AI, which handles 3 million queries daily from 900,000 weekly users. In addition to answering basic questions such as “What’s my schedule for tomorrow?”, the enhanced tool will be able to turn lengthy process guides into step-by-step instructions, giving associates support as they pose more complex queries, such as “How can I process a return without a receipt?”
“AI is a key enabler in improving how we work, and we believe its full potential is unlocked only when paired with the strengths of our people,” said Greg Cathey, SVP, Transformation and Innovation at Walmart in a statement. “When you put intuitive, accessible technology into the hands of millions of associates, the impact isn’t incremental — it’s transformational.”
For more information about associate-facing generative AI deployments, read our Tech Guide.
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Growth of Customer-Facing AI Fueling Associate Apps
The expansion of AI-powered tools for associates is a natural outgrowth of the technology’s growing acceptance by consumers. Walmart itself introduced “Sparky,” a gen-AI powered customer-facing assistant, earlier this month.
In June 2024, Target launched a gen AI-powered tool for associates chainwide. Lowe’s has deployed an AI-powered chatbot on the handheld Zebra devices used by its associates, and earlier this month, Starbucks introduce the AI-powered Green Dot Assist tool in 35 stores, with plans to expand to additional U.S. and Canada locations later this year.
AR and RFID Streamline Apparel Retailing
Even though AI is a critical piece in Walmart’s roadmap as it competes with Amazon, it’s not the only technology the retail giant is deploying. Walmart is rolling out a smart pairing of RFID technology with its VizPick AR tool, which has helped associates find merchandise to stock on the sales floor since 2021.
The new tool, which is currently being tested in select stores, enables associates to quickly scan racks, with the AR tool visually guiding them directly to the apparel items that need to be moved to the sales floor, enabling a faster, more precise workflow. Walmart plans to expand the tech to additional stores in the future.
All of Walmart’s AI tools are powered by its Element proprietary machine learning platform, which enables Walmart to deploy AI rapidly and at scale and prioritizes the retailer’s guiding principles, including data governance and security.
