A screen shows drone deliveries at the Walmart booth during the CES tech show on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Walmart experiments with AI to enhance customers' shopping experiences.
Walmart has revealed plans to delve deeper into artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology to enhance the shopping experience for its customers. During a keynote at the CES trade show in Las Vegas, the retail giant announced the expansion of its drone delivery service to an additional 1.8 million households in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area later this year.
While Walmart has already executed 20,000 drone deliveries across seven states, this move signifies the company's response to increasing demand and its commitment to efficiency.
In addition to the drone expansion, Walmart introduced a generative AI-powered search tool for iOS users. This tool suggests relevant products based on consumer queries, covering a range of topics from football watch parties to bridal showers.
The company also presented "InHome Replenishment," a system that employs AI to understand consumers' shopping patterns, ensuring their preferred groceries remain stocked. Walmart unveiled a beta platform enabling customers to virtually create outfits and receive feedback from friends.
Meanwhile, Sam’s Club, a Walmart-owned entity, introduced an innovative checkout process. Instead of the traditional approach of showing a receipt to a cashier, the store's exits are equipped with cameras that capture images of items in shoppers' carts to confirm purchases.
This camera technology is currently available in ten clubs, with plans for further expansion later in the year, according to Sam’s Club CEO Chris Nicholas.
