Walmart introduces AI assistant to streamline merchandising tasks

USA – Walmart has introduced Wally, a generative AI assistant designed to help merchants manage complex merchandising tasks with greater efficiency.

The tool aims to speed up data analysis, reduce manual reporting, and offer real-time insights to support decision-making.

Merchants at Walmart play a key role in ensuring that customers find the right products in stores and online. Their work involves analyzing sales trends, comparing brand performance, and forecasting demand. Traditionally, these tasks required hours of data entry and analysis.

Recognizing the need for a faster approach, Walmart developed Wally to automate many of these time-consuming processes.

“Wally automates a variety of tasks, including data entry, root cause identification, and operational support,” Walmart said in a statement.

“This allows our merchants to focus on making informed decisions without being slowed down by manual reporting.”

Wally processes vast amounts of proprietary data using advanced algorithms. The AI assistant is designed to be user-friendly, requiring no technical expertise. Merchants can simply ask questions and receive actionable insights in seconds.

AI’s growing role in retail

Retailers worldwide are turning to AI to improve operations and customer experiences. Amazon uses generative AI for inventory management and personalized recommendations.

Target has integrated AI into pricing strategies and marketing, while Kroger employs AI to predict demand and tailor promotions.

Walmart is following this trend by refining Wally’s capabilities to meet the specific needs of its merchants. The company has built a unique data processing system that allows Wally to handle Walmart’s vast inventory efficiently.

The company believes the AI assistant will significantly improve merchants’ productivity. “Our goal is to remove the burden of manual tasks so merchants can focus on strategic decision-making,” Walmart stated.

Walmart plans to continue improving Wally based on merchant feedback. Future updates may enable Wally to take on more responsibilities, potentially handling certain tasks autonomously within defined limits.

With AI becoming more prominent in retail, Walmart’s investment in generative AI reflects its commitment to staying ahead in a competitive market.

The introduction of Wally aligns with a broader industry shift toward automation and smarter data-driven decision-making.

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