Retailers are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the shopping experience, exemplified by Walmart’s AI initiatives like the “Marty” assistant to streamline activities for customers and staff. This trend coincides with a surge in generative AI usage, such as Amazon’s 3,300% increase during Prime Day. Walmart is also embracing digital twins for operational efficiencies, improving promotional setup, labor allocation, and robotic picking accuracy, as noted by Alex de Vigan of Nfinite. Moreover, Walmart is reconfiguring its assets to invite third-party sellers, piloting in-store displays for marketplace products to blend its online and offline presence. The company is establishing innovative financial collaborations, like its partnership with Klarna, to ease transactions for buyers and sellers. By establishing itself as a platform, Walmart aims to replicate Amazon’s marketplace success, utilizing its vast store network for hybrid fulfillment, thus enhancing eCommerce reach and physical visibility for sellers.
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