Walmart Looks Offline for AI Shopping Data Advantage

Walmart is trying to make its Sparky assistant smarter and capable for shoppers by collecting real-world data on how people shop inside its 3,500-plus U. S. supers. Gathering in- information has been a focus for the company since Sparky launched about a year ago, said Hari Vasude, Walmart’s U. chief technology officer, and the retailer plans to expand those efforts. That could include tracking when shoppers talk with staff and collecting information about how people are using Walmart’s other offline services, such as urgent care clinics and auto repair, he said.