Walmart is adding digital chatter to its beauty aisles, testing AI-generated audio summaries on over 1,000 premium beauty products in its mobile app. Much like Amazon’s similar feature rolled out earlier this year, these short soundbites give shoppers a voice-assisted rundown of key product details and customer reviews. Especially useful on the go, the feature aims to mimic the quick hits of in-store advice—or at least a friend who’s read all the reviews so you don’t have to.
The retailer says beauty is a natural starting point, given how much shoppers typically seek guidance in this space. The AI “hosts” serve up mobile-friendly recaps, designed to cut through review fatigue while keeping the tone conversational. Walmart says it began testing the feature over the summer and plans to roll it into more categories soon. Reviews are validated for accuracy and tone, ensuring the AI doesn’t recommend shampoo for houseplants.
While some industry experts see this as a nice accessibility win—especially for visually impaired shoppers—it may still be more novelty than habit-changer. Kantar’s Karen Kelso notes most shoppers are still more likely to use chat for help or quick comparisons. But with Walmart spending an estimated $17 billion this year on tech and automation, it’s clear they’re eager to show that AI isn’t just helping in warehouses—it can talk to customers, too.
Read more at Modern Retail.