Walmart integrates AI shopping agents while Amazon blocks third-party tools

The rise of agentic commerce

The landscape of online shopping is shifting from manual browsing to autonomous execution. While chatbots are designed to provide information, AI agents are programs capable of performing multi-step tasks. These include searching for specific products, comparing various prices across different sites, and ultimately completing a purchase on the user's behalf.

Major technology firms like Google, OpenAI, and Meta are currently investing heavily in this technology. Industry analysts view the move toward agents as the next significant phase of the artificial intelligence boom that began with the release of ChatGPT in late 2022. This evolution moves AI from a conversational tool to a functional assistant that can interact with the digital economy.

As Tech Xplore reported, this transition is already manifesting in new product launches. For instance, Anthropic recently released a preview of Claude Duet. This agent is designed to work in the background across a user's connected applications and can make online purchases, provided the user gives their approval.

Walmart's open approach

Walmart has decided to embrace this trend by welcoming third-party AI agents into its ecosystem. The retail giant announced tools that allow agents, such as Meta's Muse, to shop for customers. To organize this, Walmart will launch 'Agent Profiles' within the next month. This feature allows customers to register each specific AI assistant they use as a distinct profile within their main Walmart account.

The goal of these profiles is to keep agent-made purchases separate from a customer's personal shopping history. Walmart describes the arrangement as being similar to adding an authorized user to a credit card. Users will have significant control over how these agents behave, including the ability to require manual approval for every single transaction.

Alternatively, customers can choose to let an agent make purchases independently, but only up to a specific spending limit. Walmart will provide options for these limits, such as $50, $100, or $200. Users also maintain the ability to delete an agent profile at any time, ensuring they retain oversight of the automated actions taken by the software.

Amazon's restrictive stance

In contrast to Walmart's welcoming policy, Amazon is taking a much more restrictive approach toward third-party AI agents. The company has moved to block outside agents from interacting with its platform. This move is intended to protect its own ecosystem and promote its internal tools, such as Alexa for Shopping and the Buy for Me feature.

Amazon's actions have already begun to impact popular tools. Last month, the company blocked Meta's Muse from its site. When users attempt to use the agent on the platform, they are shown a notice stating that unauthorized AI agents violate Amazon's conditions of use. This creates a fragmented experience where an AI agent might work seamlessly on one retail site but be completely barred from another.

The conflict has even moved into the legal sphere. In November 2025, Amazon sued the startup Perplexity. The company accused the startup of using a browser agent to covertly make purchases on its marketplace. Amazon has also taken steps to restrict agents originating from both Google and OpenAI, signaling a broader effort to control how automated systems interact with its retail environment.

What comes next for shoppers

The divergence between Walmart and Amazon suggests a looming split in how we interact with e-commerce. On one side, shoppers may enjoy a more open environment where they can delegate tasks to any AI they trust. On the other side, they may find themselves restricted to a few 'approved' tools that the retailers have vetted and integrated themselves.

For the average consumer, this means that the utility of an AI assistant will depend heavily on where they choose to shop. If you use an agent to find the best deal on a household item, that agent might be able to complete the checkout at Walmart but will be blocked from doing so at Amazon. This creates a new layer of complexity in the 'agentic' era of the internet.

As these tools become more sophisticated, the focus will likely shift toward security and trust. Users will need to decide which agents are allowed to hold their spending limits and which permissions they are willing to grant. The ability to set hard caps on spending and require multi-factor approval for high-value items will be essential as AI agents become more capable of navigating the web independently.

The scale of adoption

The demand for these tools is already evident in the numbers. Analysis of third-party data by Sensor Tower shows that Meta's Muse has been downloaded more than 10 million times. While the tool is currently only available in the United States and Canada, its rapid adoption highlights the consumer appetite for automated shopping.

The competition among tech giants is intensifying as they race to capture this market. OpenAI recently launched its own always-on agents called Dots. By providing these tools, companies are trying to become the primary interface through which people interact with the internet. Instead of visiting dozens of websites, users may soon simply tell their preferred agent to find and buy what they need, with the retailer's permission acting as the final gatekeeper.