Walmart has revealed a proprietary generative AI platform built on decades of customer data that it says will usher in “a new era of retail”.
The announcement was made as part of its Adaptive Retail plan, which includes other components built on emerging technology, such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and immersive commerce.
Suresh Kumar, Global Chief Technology Officer and Chief Development Officer at Walmart, said: “A standard search bar is no longer the fastest path to purchase, rather we must use technology to adapt to customers’ individual preferences and needs.
“At the heart of our platform strategy is developing common global core capabilities that are built once and deployed across Walmart US, Sam’s Club and Walmart International.
“As a global company with multiple business segments, this enables us to move with speed as we bring consistent experiences to all our customers and members.”
Customer Care Chatbots
Walmart said its system of large language models (LLMs) is retail-specific and will be used to create customer-facing experiences.
They are trained on decades of Walmart’s customer data, which the retail giant says creates contextualised responses.
Walmart said it’s also implemented a more personalised version of its customer support assistant by utilising a combination of generative AI platforms.
The assistant now recognises the customer at the outset, Walmart said, and moves beyond understanding the customer’s intent to performing actions such as locating orders and managing returns.
During testing, customers said issues were solved more efficiently and independently.
A Walmart.com All of Your Own
Elsewhere in the announcement, Walmart revealed it’s using artificial intelligence to learn from customer habits and create a personalised Walmart.com experience for them.
Walmart said the tech is already being used in areas of its website.
“With this technology, Walmart will create a unique homepage for each shopper, making the online shopping experience as personalised as stepping into a store designed exclusively for each customer,” Walmart said.
“The US experience is expected to launch by the end of next year, and the company plans to also use the platform’s underlying technology in Walmart International’s Canada and Mexico markets for personalised item recommendations, setting a new standard in global retail.”
Augmented Reality
Walmart has also developed Retina, an augmented-reality platform that uses artificial intelligence to create 3D assets that customers can view on their devices.
“Being people-led means we start with the human need, and often, a combination of technologies like AI, GenAI, AR and Immersive Commerce, is key to the solution,” said Kumar.
“Our customers guide us, and with these platforms, we’re ready for whatever they need.”
The retailer said the use of Retina has reduced return rates and improved conversion rates. Walmart said content for headsets is also in the works.
Walmart has also created immersive commerce APIs that will be used in a newly announced testing phase with 3D development platform Unity,
These APIs will also become part of a new experience in ZEPETO – an avatar-based metaverse platform.
