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Walmart teams up with OpenAI to launch ChatGPT-powered shopping feature

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Walmart announced a new partnership with OpenAI on Tuesday, enabling customers and Sam’s Club members to shop directly through ChatGPT using the platform’s Instant Checkout feature. The move marks the retail giant’s latest step toward integrating artificial intelligence into its e-commerce operations.

Following the news, Walmart shares rose 5% to $107.21, reflecting investor optimism about the company’s expanding digital strategy. The collaboration allows users to browse and purchase Walmart products directly within ChatGPT, using conversational prompts to find items and complete transactions seamlessly.

The world’s largest retailer has been steadily expanding its AI efforts, rolling out Sparky, a generative AI assistant within its mobile app that helps users discover products, summarize reviews, and find personalized suggestions.

The tie-up with OpenAI aligns Walmart more closely with rivals like Amazon, which earlier launched its own AI shopping assistant Rufus, designed to streamline online searches and product recommendations.

The partnership follows OpenAI’s recent collaborations with Etsy and Shopify, as ChatGPT becomes increasingly integrated into online retail ecosystems. According to SimilarWeb, ChatGPT referrals accounted for 15% of Walmart’s referral traffic in September, up from 9.5% in August, although they still make up less than 1% of overall web traffic.

Walmart said the initiative reflects its broader commitment to using generative AI to improve customer experience and simplify the shopping journey both online and in stores.

MercadoLibre enters Brazil’s online pharmacy market with first drugstore acquisition

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MercadoLibre, Latin America’s largest e-commerce company, will begin selling medicines online in Brazil for the first time after acquiring a local drugstore, executives said on Thursday. The move marks the firm’s entry into one of the region’s largest and most tightly regulated pharmaceutical markets.

While MercadoLibre already operates online drug sales in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia, Brazil’s laws require a company to own at least one licensed physical pharmacy to sell medications online. Local head Fernando Yunes confirmed the acquisition and said the company’s aim is to act as a marketplace platform rather than build a nationwide pharmacy chain.

“The pharmaceutical sector is the only one in Brazil we haven’t entered yet, and we see a big opportunity to improve access,” Yunes said. “We want small and medium-sized pharmacies selling through MercadoLibre, not to compete directly with them.”

Executives said the company will evaluate next steps based on the performance of its first pharmacy. MercadoLibre is also in discussions with Brazilian regulators to modernize existing laws that restrict online pharmaceutical trade, calling for reforms to make it easier for pharmacies to reach customers digitally.

The move signals MercadoLibre’s growing ambitions to expand its healthcare footprint in Brazil, its largest market by revenue, and tap into the country’s rapidly growing digital health sector.

India launches pilot to enable e-commerce payments through ChatGPT

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India’s National Payments Corporation (NPCI) and Razorpay have teamed up with OpenAI to launch a pilot program that enables AI-powered e-commerce payments directly within ChatGPT. The initiative leverages India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), allowing users to make purchases without leaving the chat platform.

The project represents the country’s first integration of agentic AI payments, where artificial intelligence systems can independently execute transactions on behalf of users. “With agentic payments, we’re transforming AI assistants from simple discovery tools into full-fledged shopping agents,” said Harshil Mathur, CEO of Razorpay.

The pilot will test how AI agents can securely manage user payment credentials to autonomously complete purchases using UPI’s new ‘reserve pay’ feature, which sets aside funds for designated merchants.

Axis Bank and Airtel Payments Bank are serving as banking partners, while Bigbasket, owned by Tata Group, has become the first e-commerce platform to enable ChatGPT-based shopping. OpenAI’s Oliver Jay said the partnership aims to combine “advanced AI with one of the world’s most trusted real-time payment networks.”

UPI currently processes over 20 billion monthly transactions, making it the backbone of India’s digital payment ecosystem. The pilot could pave the way for AI-driven commerce, transforming chatbots into autonomous retail platforms.