While Amazon blocks AI agents, Walmart rolls out the welcome mat

Walmart launched a new Agent Gateway system on Wednesday to facilitate transactions by artificial intelligence agents, marking a distinct strategic departure from rival Amazon. The retailer announced the initiative during the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco. This move contrasts sharply with recent industry trends, as Amazon and various travel and booking platforms have begun blocking AI agents from accessing their sites entirely. Walmart’s approach embraces agentic commerce, positioning itself differently from competitors who view autonomous digital buyers as a threat. John Furner, Walmart’s president and chief executive officer, stated that the new technology prepares the company for a future where AI agents become mainstream. The Agent Gateway functions as a Model Context Protocol server, enabling approved agents to connect to Walmart’s infrastructure. Originally created by Anthropic, the protocol allows software agents to interface with external data sources and tools. Through this connection, an AI agent can search Walmart’s online inventory and execute purchases on behalf of a human user. The system supports agentic shopping for both Walmart and its discount warehouse division, Sam’s Club. A key feature of the gateway is privacy protection. Customers can shop for preferred brands without sharing personal data or purchase history directly with the third-party agent. To maintain transparency, Walmart developed technology to distinguish between purchases made by an agent and those initiated directly by the customer. New Agent Profiles, scheduled to roll out next month, allow users to authorize specific AI agents with dedicated profiles linked to their main accounts. These profiles enable shoppers to view agent-initiated transactions separately from their own activity. Users retain strict control over these automated purchases. Similar to adding an authorized user to a credit card, customers can require approval for every individual transaction or set specific spending limits. An Agent Profile is created automatically upon the first use of a specific agent via the gateway. Users must then link the profile to their Walmart account and configure their desired controls. They can delete any Agent Profile at any time. Access to these features requires a standard Walmart account, though a Walmart Plus membership is not mandatory. Walmart introduced specific terms of service governing AI agent behavior. Agents are prohibited from taking actions beyond the shopper’s intent or accessing customer payment information. They may only access data necessary for the assigned task. Non-compliant agents will be blocked from the website. Crucially, the standard return policy applies even when an agent fails to act as intended. This provision addresses consumer concerns about receiving unwanted goods due to software errors. The announcement follows earlier partnerships between Walmart and major AI entities, including Meta’s Muse. The retailer also offers integrations with applications such as ChatGPT and Gemini. By welcoming these tools, Walmart aims to capture market share while competitors restrict access. Analysts have raised questions regarding the practicality of some of Walmart’s broader membership bundles, noting potential confusion among consumers trying to understand the benefits. However, the immediate focus remains on the technical infrastructure supporting autonomous retail interactions. The company expects these measures to define the emerging landscape of digital commerce.