Walmart is opening checkout to AI shopping agents, announcing an Agent Gateway on Wednesday so approved tools can buy at Walmart and Sam’s Club. Agent Profiles, rolling out next month, will let customers authorize agents such as Meta’s Muse, ChatGPT, or Gemini with per-purchase approval or a spending limit they set. The split with Amazon, which has blocked outside agents, is now a live strategy question for marketplaces that own the cart.
Key Takeaways
- Walmart’s Agent Gateway lets approved AI agents shop Walmart and Sam’s Club.
- Agent Profiles next month add approval or a shopper-set spending limit.
- Amazon has blocked Muse, Perplexity, and other external shopping agents.
- Bernstein says major aggregators may be justified blocking agents for now.
How Walmart’s Agent Gateway Lets AI Shopping Agents Transact
Walmart launched the Agent Gateway as a new MCP server so approved agents can connect over the model context protocol, TechCrunch reported. The protocol, originally created by Anthropic, lets agents reach external data, tools, and workflows. Through the gateway, an agent can search Walmart’s online inventory and buy for the shopper.
The gateway is in beta, according to The Verge. Walmart says agents can shop without the hiccups of navigating a browser, and without receiving shopping history or other personal information. President and CEO John Furner spoke about the plan Wednesday at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco. Support covers Walmart and Sam’s Club, and a Walmart+ membership is not required.
“For example, if a customer tends to buy sourdough bread or a particular brand of milk, Walmart will help the agent find those usual items for the customer without sharing the customer’s broader shopping history with the agent,” Walmart says.
Agent Profiles Add Approvals and Spending Limits
Agent Profiles roll out next month. The first time an agent shops through the gateway, the profile is created. The shopper then authorizes it and links it to the Walmart account, sets controls, and can see agent orders separately. A profile can be deleted, and the agent can be turned off at any time.
By default, Walmart will require approval for every agent purchase. Shoppers can instead authorize a spending limit, such as up to $100. Walmart says the controls are similar to adding an authorized user on a credit card: transactions are identified, and spend can be capped.
Walmart is also publishing terms that agents must follow:
- Agents must not take actions beyond what the shopper intends.
- Agents cannot access payment information or change the payment method.
- Agents may access only the information needed for the task.
- Agents that do not comply will be blocked from the site.
- Walmart’s returns process applies, including when an agent does not act as intended.
Amazon Blocks External Agents at Checkout
Amazon has blocked external agents from making purchases for online shoppers, TechCrunch reported. The Verge added that the block has covered Perplexity’s shopping agent and Meta’s Muse. Various travel and booking sites have locked agents out of their websites. Walmart’s alternative is a gate: use the Agent Gateway and follow the terms, or be blocked.
| Comparison | Walmart | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| External agents | Approved via Agent Gateway, in beta | Blocked from purchasing |
| Assistants | Muse, ChatGPT, Gemini, and others | Muse and Perplexity blocked |
| Shopper controls | Next month: default approval, or a limit such as $100 | Checkout closed to outside agents |
| Coverage | Walmart and Sam’s Club; Walmart+ not required | Online purchases by outside agents blocked |
Bernstein Says Blocking Can Still Be Rational
In an October 23 note, Bernstein analysts said aggregators including Amazon, Uber, and DoorDash may be justified in blocking external agents for now, Yahoo Finance reported. Displacement concerns may be premature, although agents could reshape how people search, shop, and transact. Dominant platforms have little reason to rush rival AI tools while building their own.
Amazon is prioritizing its Alexa shopping ecosystem. JPMorgan and Charles Schwab have restricted third-party agents over liability concerns. For now, aggregators can reasonably restrict access while they assess adoption and negotiate partnership terms.
Instacart is a Muse partner; Uber and DoorDash are among the aggregators Bernstein says may be justified in blocking. See our report on Instacart sale talks.
Successful adoption, the note said, depends on interoperability, reliability, and completing a transaction more conveniently than existing platforms. Muse is the early marker: 2.5 million daily active users in North America within six weeks of launch. Yahoo Finance also reported that 25% of weekly users had tried agentic shopping, and that average purchases exceeded $200, including travel bookings. Partners include Walmart, Shopify, Instacart, and Expedia.
Smaller competitors may gain share by partnering. Dominant platforms risk the direct relationship. Platforms with exclusive inventory, established logistics networks, and strong customer relationships may have more room to delay. A restriction is reasonable for now, the note argued, but unlikely to last if shoppers favor agent checkout.
