Walmart has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered assistant, Wally, to assist its merchants in managing inventory and analyzing product performance. The tool aims to simplify complex data analysis, helping merchants make informed decisions quickly. By leveraging AI technology, Walmart hopes to enhance efficiency in sourcing items for both its physical stores and online marketplace. Other major retailers have also been implementing AI-driven tools to optimize their operations, indicating a growing reliance on automation in the retail sector.
Walmart has previously incorporated AI into various aspects of its business, such as refining product catalogs, improving search functionalities, and rolling out AI-driven shopping assistants. The introduction of Wally continues this trend, aligning with broader industry efforts to integrate AI into retail operations. Companies like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Target have also launched generative AI-powered tools to assist customers and employees, reflecting a competitive push toward AI adoption in the retail market.
What is Wally and How Does It Work?
Wally is designed to generate insights from complex datasets, diagnose product performance issues, and automate predictions. Walmart states that the AI assistant can answer merchants’ operational questions, raise tickets for unresolved concerns, and eliminate the need for manual reporting. By incorporating a semantic layer, Wally can interpret data more effectively and cater to Walmart’s specific merchandising needs.
The company emphasizes that Wally allows merchants to receive insights quickly, reducing the time spent on manual data analysis.
“Merchants can simply ask questions and receive actionable insights in seconds,”
Walmart stated. The AI assistant is expected to help merchants focus on optimizing product availability and efficiency.
Will Wally Operate Autonomously in the Future?
Walmart plans to enhance Wally’s capabilities, with the goal of enabling it to take autonomous actions on behalf of merchants. The company intends to refine the tool based on user feedback, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of its retail operations.
Although Wally has received positive feedback from Walmart merchants so far, the company acknowledges that further improvements are necessary.
“Walmart merchants’ response to Wally has been overwhelmingly positive, but we’re just getting started,”
Walmart stated. The company aims to expand the AI assistant’s functions to streamline operations further.
Retailers across the industry have been increasingly adopting AI, with 77% of business leaders recognizing generative AI as a major driver of economic growth. Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus and Target’s chatbot for store employees demonstrate how AI is shaping retail operations. AI technology is now considered essential rather than experimental, supporting various functions from inventory tracking to personalized shopping experiences.
Walmart’s continued investment in AI reflects broader industry trends, where automation plays a crucial role in optimizing retail operations. As AI tools like Wally become more advanced, they could potentially take on greater responsibilities, reducing the reliance on manual processes. However, the extent of AI autonomy in retail decision-making will likely depend on factors such as accuracy, reliability, and merchant acceptance. Companies investing in AI-driven solutions will need to address these challenges while balancing automation with human oversight.
