The generative AI capabilities in Google Search allows users to make purchases for a special occasion like the Super Sunday match in the English Premier League. For this, users may have to visit multiple web pages but Walmart has a plan to help users save time by offering a one-stop shopping experience.
According to a report by CNBC, Walmart is working on a feature that will use generative AI to offer one solution for all things needed to execute the plan, rather than an online destination to search for individual items. During a call with analysts after its February earnings, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon talked about this feature in its app.
“The thing we’re most excited about that’s already happened is the way search has improved, and the way generative AI helped us really improve a solution-oriented search experience for customers and members. And it happened pretty quickly,” McMillon was quoted as saying.
According to Forrester vice president, principal analyst Sucharita Kodali, Flipkart-owner Walmart can experiment with adding generative AI search capabilities because there’s a very low cost for failure.
“It establishes them as an innovator in the space. They’re better to be a leader than a follower in their shoes. They’re operating from a position of strength,” she said.
Threat to Google is not existential
As per the analyst, the threat to Google is not existential because people rely heavily on Google for several things apart from just planning for a party, and incorporating AI in one aspect to compete with Google’s whole business may not hit the company that much.
“You get in the habit of using Google because you use it for everything,” Kodali said.
“You use it for everything else (outside of shopping), and everything else is like 90% of the searches you do. So, unless Amazon and Walmart are going to get into the business of the other 90% of the searches, it’s not going to happen,” Kodali added.
Meanwhile, Google has also incorporated generative AI into Search and is working to refine the search experience and investing in Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search for retail.
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