Walmart has launched Wally, a cutting-edge AI-powered assistant designed to boost merchant productivity by automating essential merchandising tasks. Unveiled on March 18, this tool is referred to as a “productivity multiplier,” aimed at optimizing data analysis, operational support, and reporting processes for Walmart’s sourcing teams.
Wally was developed using Walmart’s proprietary data, with the goal of reducing the manual effort typically involved in core merchandising functions. The AI assistant now takes care of crucial operations such as data entry, performance analysis, root cause identification, advanced calculations, and how-to support.
In a practical example, a bread merchant previously needed to sift through various data reports to understand trends in protein-based food demand. This labor-intensive process has been simplified by Wally, which can provide immediate answers through natural language queries.
“Merchants can simply ask questions and get actionable insights within seconds,” Walmart highlighted. The intuitive interface of Wally eliminates the necessity for technical training, enabling users to quickly access and act on data.
Wally’s capabilities are supported by a semantic layer crafted to navigate the complexities of Walmart’s proprietary data. This allows the AI assistant to efficiently process vast amounts of product information through advanced algorithms and Walmart’s computational resources.
Walmart acknowledged the challenges in creating an AI assistant for merchandising operations due to the specialized data involved. Traditional AI models were insufficient for the company’s specific requirements.
“Developing a semantic layer has empowered Wally to grasp the intricacies of our proprietary data,” the company explained.
Feedback from merchants regarding Wally’s introduction has been positive, with plans for ongoing enhancements. Future upgrades are anticipated to introduce autonomous features within configurable parameters, allowing Wally to execute tactical actions aligned with merchant strategies.
By automating labor-intensive tasks and delivering real-time insights, Walmart aims to allow its merchants to concentrate on strategic initiatives and innovative decision-making. The company believes that these improvements will lead to enhanced customer satisfaction by ensuring the availability of the right products at the right time with greater efficiency.
