Walmart, Google team up AI-powered, voice activated shopping 

“Starting in late September, we’ll be working with Google to offer hundreds of thousands of items for voice shopping via Google Assistant – the largest number of items currently offered by a retailer through the platform,” said Marc Lore, CEO of Walmart, is a blog he posted. “Our new voice shopping capability, coupled with our core value proposition, including free two-day shipping and the Pickup Discount, will give our customers a compelling new way to get what they need at low prices.”

Canadian Walmart shoppers may have to wait a bit longer to avail of the service.

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The partnership means that Walmart customers will be able to buy stuff from the store online through Google Express using simple voice commands. Google Express is the search engine’s online delivery service that was rolled out in the United States last year.

Walmart shoppers can link their Walmart account to Google Express. This will allow them to purchase products sold at Walmart by simply speaking to their Google device and saying stuff like. “Google, buy me some toilet paper.” Google’s AI algorithms will offer shoppers suggestions on toilet paper brands and even search for deals and discounts.

The e-commerce program is in direct competition with the voice-activated online shopping service offered by Amazon.

Amazon customers are able to make voice purchase request through the company’s Alexa digital assistant.

Lore said Walmart decided to integrate its easy Reorder feature into Google express because voice shopping provides customers the ability to “build a basket” of previously purchased everyday essentials. This makes it easier for customers to create a predetermined shopping that doesn’t have ben be rewritten each time they go to the grocery.

He said it made sense to partner with Google because “they’ve made significant investments in natural language processing and artificial intelligence to deliver a powerful voice shopping experience.”