Bank of America: Walmart well positioned for agent-led shopping

The Bank of America note comes as retailers weigh whether to welcome or block AI shopping agents. Walmart has chosen to integrate with multiple AI ecosystems, develop its own assistant Sparky, and partner with agents such as Meta's Muse. That contrasts with other retailers that have taken an antagonistic approach, choosing to block Muse from interacting with their commercial portals. The analysts' view is that Walmart's open embrace could pay off if more consumers delegate shopping to AI agents, especially since habits are still forming. However, the note acknowledges uncertainty: Walmart's management team, like everyone else, can't say for certain how popular shopping agents will become. There are also business implications to consider, such as what happens to the advertising landscape—a business increasingly important to Walmart—if screenless computers are the ones checking out.