Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon shared on Tuesday at the tech conference CES that the company will soon start using artificial intelligence to help customers keep their pantries and fridges stocked.
The company shared that three new AI-powered technologies will soon be available to customers so they can get the best out of shopping in-store and online. The upgrade is supposed to make the customer experience feel more futuristic.
One of the new AI-powered features will study how Walmart+ members use the service, analyzing their shopping patterns to help ensure their fridges stay stocked before they run out of any items.
The feature has been dubbed “InHome Replenishment” and will create personalized algorithms for each customer so that they can get exactly what they need when they need it.
The program also adjusts over time, ensuring customers get their groceries at the right time and not when they don’t need them.
Grocery orders will then be automatically placed and delivered to customers’ homes, but they can be adjusted at any time and are not set in stone.
Another feature being released by Walmart is an expansion of the AI it uses at Sam’s Club, the company’s membership warehouse club.
At Sam’s Club customers can pay for physical goods through an app, reducing the need to stop and check out before exiting the store.
The AI will further reduce the work customers have to do, eliminating the need for them to show their digital receipts at the door, instead allowing them to walk through a digital archway with goods in hand.
The program is already being used in Dallas and will be rolled out nationwide by the end of 2024, Walmart shared on Tuesday.
The last AI-powered system will allow customers to build outfits through their Walmart profiles so they can share them with friends and get second opinions before making a purchase.
McMillon says the new AI technology will eliminate many tasks and jobs. However, he says the company is creating new roles that “are more enjoyable and satisfying and also often result in higher pay.”