Walmart to let AI agents shop on its site with customer controls
For the executive drafting a bank's AI agent access policy
Walmart announced on Wednesday, Oct. 21, that it will let customers use AI agents to shop on its website starting next month, through a new Agent Gateway and per-agent Agent Profiles, TechCrunch reported.31
Walmart CEO John Furner, speaking at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, said the company is preparing for a world where AI agents become mainstream, according to TechCrunch.3 The Verge reported that Amazon blocked Perplexity's shopping agent and Meta's Muse AI assistant, while TechCrunch reported only that Amazon began blocking AI agents from making purchases on behalf of online shoppers; neither report is a Walmart document.13
The Agent Gateway, currently in beta, connects approved agents to Walmart over the Model Context Protocol, and Walmart says it can help find a customer's usual items without sharing the customer's broader shopping history with the agent.13
By default, Walmart will require approval for all agent purchases; customers can instead allow spending within a limit they set, such as up to $100, review agent purchases separately in Agent Profiles, and turn off or delete an agent at any time.13
Walmart's terms for agents say they must not take actions beyond what the shopper intends and can only access information needed for the task, according to The Verge and TechCrunch; The Verge reported that agents cannot change a customer's payment method, while TechCrunch reported that they cannot access customers' payment information, and both reported that Walmart will block agents that do not comply.13
According to TechCrunch, Walmart's returns process applies even when an agent does not act as intended, support is open to any Walmart account holder without Walmart+, and Sam's Club shopping will be supported as well.3
Walmart is giving agents scoped access it controls, with per-agent identity, spending caps and a way to cut off bad actors, which is a working model for banks weighing whether to lock agents out. Customer approval shows consent but not whether the agent chose well, so the returns terms and dispute handling are where liability gets decided.
Agent Profiles are due to roll out next month, according to TechCrunch; Walmart's exact launch date was not given in the sources.3
Our take. Walmart gives each agent its own profile, approval by default and no power to change payment methods. Amazon blocks agents outright. Customers will soon ask which of the two your login page resembles.
Action. Digital banking: Draft agent access terms with per-agent credentials, purchase approval, spending caps and a block on changing payment details.
Sources
- ReportWalmart is inviting AI agents to shop for you | The Verge The Verge
- Primary sourcePrivacy Policy – Privacy & Terms – Google Google
- Also reported byWhile Amazon blocks AI agents, Walmart rolls out the welcome mat TechCrunch