Dive Brief:
- Walmart is positioning its AI agent Sparky as a valuable time-saver that will garner customer trust, President and CEO John Furner said on a Q4 2026 earnings call Thursday.
- About half of Walmart app users have interacted with Sparky, according to President and CEO of Walmart U.S. David Guggina. Customer engagement with the tool is up, and the average order value for Sparky users is about 35% higher compared to non-Sparky customers.
- “The way we're using technology and AI is helping us create great customer solutions, reduce friction, simplify decision-making and pinpoint where our inventory is, all while maintaining the trust we've earned from our customers and members,” Furner said during the call.
Dive Insight:
Walmart’s experience, from product discovery to delivery times, is getting faster, according to Furner. Sparky is playing a role in this evolution.
The number of customers who chose express delivery to have their orders arrive within three hours grew more than 60% in 2025, Furner said.
This growing interest is expected to benefit paid Walmart+ loyalty program members, who pay a reduced fee for express delivery orders.
Sparky will contribute to speedy experiences by helping Walmart better understand customer intent and give them what they need, according to Furner. The technology will help the people in Walmart’s omnichannel operations work quicker as well.
“When Sparky builds a basket, we execute it through fast delivery, pickup or in-store, turning AI engagement into immediate physical outcomes,” Furner said.
While Walmart is reporting success, consumers in general are skeptical of AI chatbots and have trust issues with them, according to Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail. It’s up to tools like Sparky to prove that they are useful and reliable if they want customers to accept them.
“Walmart has facilitated that by applying AI to very specific areas where it can make a difference and ensuring it is trained well to make good recommendations,” Saunders said in an email. “The most notable application is solving a very real issue that consumers have with searching and finding the right products.”
Walmart’s investments in Sparky are still in their early stages, and the company will continue to add additional capabilities, greater personalization and deeper contextual understanding, according to Guggina.
“AI is increasingly embedded across Walmart,” Guggina said during the call. “It's strengthening our operations. It's improving associate productivity, and it's enhancing the customer experience, and that's really coming to life with Sparky.”
