Google is expanding the shopping functionality of its Gemini AI chatbot through new partnerships with Walmart, Shopify, Wayfair, and other major retailers, positioning the platform as both a digital assistant and a transactional commerce channel. The move signals a deeper push by technology companies to integrate artificial intelligence directly into the shopping journey, from product discovery to checkout.
The announcement was made on Sunday at the opening of the National Retail Federation’s annual convention in New York City. The three-day event is expected to draw approximately 40,000 attendees from across the retail and technology sectors, with artificial intelligence and its influence on consumer behavior emerging as central themes.
From Product Discovery to Checkout Within a Single Interface
At the core of the expansion is an instant checkout feature that allows consumers to complete purchases without leaving the Gemini chat interface they used to search for products. According to Walmart and Google, the function will initially support select retailers and a range of payment providers, streamlining what has traditionally been a multi-step e-commerce process.
“The transition from traditional web or app search to agent-led commerce represents the next great evolution in retail,” John Furner, Walmart’s incoming president and CEO, said in a joint statement with Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichaei.
Google said the AI-powered shopping experience works by allowing users to ask natural language questions, such as what equipment they need for a winter ski trip. Gemini then surfaces relevant products from participating retailers’ inventories, shifting search away from keyword-based queries toward conversational interaction.
Personalized Commerce Through Retailer Account Integration
For Walmart customers, the experience becomes more personalized when accounts are linked. Users who connect their Walmart and Gemini accounts will receive product recommendations informed by past purchase history. Any items selected through Gemini can also be added directly to an existing Walmart or Sam’s Club online shopping cart, according to the companies.
This approach reflects a broader effort by large retailers to embed AI-powered shopping deeper into their existing digital ecosystems, rather than treating chatbots as standalone tools.
OpenAI and Walmart announced a similar initiative in October, enabling ChatGPT members to complete instant checkout purchases for most items on Walmart’s website, excluding fresh food. That agreement underscored how quickly AI-assisted commerce is becoming a competitive battleground among major platforms.
Intensifying Competition Among AI and Commerce Platforms
Google’s expansion places it squarely in competition with OpenAI and Amazon, all of which are racing to create seamless AI-powered shopping experiences that keep consumers within a single interface from browsing to buying. The competition between Google and OpenAI, in particular, has accelerated in recent months as both companies roll out new commerce-related features.
Before the most recent holiday shopping season, OpenAI introduced an instant checkout feature within ChatGPT, allowing users to purchase products from select retailers and Etsy sellers without leaving the app. These developments point to a growing convergence between conversational AI and transactional e-commerce.
Salesforce has estimated that AI influenced $272 billion, or roughly 20 percent, of global retail sales during the holiday shopping season, highlighting the scale of AI’s impact even when it operates behind the scenes rather than as a direct sales channel.
Availability and Payment Options
Google said the AI-assisted shopping features within Gemini will initially be available only to U.S. users, with plans to expand internationally in the coming months. At launch, shoppers will be able to make payments using the cards linked to their Google accounts. The company said additional payment options, including PayPal, will be added in the near future.
While Canadian availability has not yet been announced, the planned international rollout suggests that global retailers and consumers could soon see similar integrations, particularly as large multinational chains continue to standardize digital commerce platforms across markets.
AI’s Role in Redefining the E-Commerce Experience
The broader objective behind deploying chatbots in e-commerce is to simplify how consumers find and purchase products. Rather than relying on static search results and filters, shoppers can refine their choices through conversational exchanges using text or voice input. Technology companies are also advancing so-called AI agents, which extend beyond today’s generative AI tools, although their ability to autonomously complete purchases on behalf of consumers remains limited.
Walmart’s Furner said the company is focused on using AI to reduce friction in the shopping experience and “close the gap between I want it and I have it.”
