Walmart is taking a notably different approach from Amazon regarding AI agents in e-commerce by launching its own Agent Gateway, a platform designed to allow AI agents to make purchases on behalf of customers. This move follows Amazon’s recent decision to block AI agents from transacting on its site. Walmart's strategy embraces the rise of agentic commerce, incorporating integrations with AI tools like Meta’s Muse, ChatGPT, and Gemini, signaling the company’s commitment to adapting to future shopping behaviors driven by artificial intelligence.

The Agent Gateway leverages the model context protocol (MCP), developed by Anthropic, enabling AI agents to access Walmart’s inventory and execute transactions securely. To enhance privacy and user control, Walmart has built mechanisms that let customers shop with AI agents without sharing personal data directly with those agents. This system sets Walmart apart by giving shoppers confidence that agents can only perform tasks within defined limits and without accessing sensitive financial information.

Walmart plans to roll out Agent Profiles next month, which will let customers create dedicated profiles for each AI agent they authorize. These profiles separate agent-initiated purchases from the user’s own transactions and allow the setting of spending caps or requiring approval for individual purchases. This approach is akin to granting authorized user privileges on a credit card, empowering consumers to control and monitor their AI agent’s buying activities closely.

Additionally, Walmart has introduced explicit terms governing AI agent behavior on its platform, ensuring compliance with its rules and applying the retailer’s returns policy to agent-based purchases. This protection reassures shoppers against unwanted outcomes from AI transactions, addressing a key concern as agentic commerce becomes mainstream. Agents violating Walmart’s terms will be blocked, emphasizing the retailer’s commitment to both innovation and customer security in this evolving retail environment.