Walmart launches Agent Gateway for AI shopping agents

Retailer’s embrace of agentic commerce contrasts with Amazon’s decision to block AI agents

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources2 outlets

Walmart announced on Wednesday the launch of its Agent Gateway, a platform enabling AI agents to search its online inventory and make purchases on behalf of customers. The retailer’s move contrasts with Amazon, which has blocked AI agents from making purchases. Speaking at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Walmart President and CEO John Furner said the company is preparing for a future where AI agents become mainstream.

Walmart’s Agent Gateway, built on Anthropic’s model context protocol (MCP), will allow approved AI agents to connect to Walmart’s external data and tools. The system differentiates agent transactions from customer-initiated ones. Next month, the company will begin rolling out Agent Profiles, which let shoppers authorize each AI agent and set spending limits or require per-transaction approval, similar to adding an authorized user to a credit card. Customers can also delete an Agent Profile at any time.

The retailer said it would apply its standard returns process even when an agent does not act as intended, a policy likely to reassure early adopters of agentic commerce. Agents are barred from accessing customers' payment information and may only use information required for the task; those that violate the terms will be blocked. The agent support is available to any Walmart account holder, not only Walmart+ members, and covers both Walmart and Sam’s Club purchases.

Walmart previously announced a partnership with Meta’s Muse, a leading agent in the space, and offers integrations with ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI applications. The new capabilities extend those efforts, positioning the retailer to lead in agentic commerce as the technology gains traction.

However, not all retailers have taken the same approach. Amazon and various travel and booking sites have responded to the growing consumer adoption of AI agents by locking them out of their websites entirely. Walmart’s embrace of agentic technology differentiates it from these online businesses.

Analysis

Why This Matters

This is a significant step in the adoption of AI agents for e-commerce, potentially changing how consumers shop online.
Walmart's protections, including return policies for mistaken purchases, could build trust in autonomous shopping.
The divergence between Walmart and Amazon highlights a strategic fork in retail technology, with implications for the entire industry.

Background

AI agents, such as Meta's Muse and the many assistants integrated with ChatGPT and Gemini, have begun offering to perform tasks like online shopping on behalf of users. Several major retailers, including Amazon, have responded by blocking these agents from making purchases, citing concerns about security, fraud, and consumer experience. Walmart had already signalled a different stance by partnering with Muse and integrating with popular AI apps. The launch of the Agent Gateway and companion features formalizes Walmart’s strategy to embrace agentic commerce.

Key Perspectives

Walmart: The retailer views AI agents as a future norm and is building infrastructure to support them. Its offerings include the Agent Gateway, an MCP server for secure transactions, and Agent Profiles that give customers control over agents' purchasing limits and visibility. Amazon and other blockers: Amazon and some travel and booking sites have chosen to block AI agents from completing purchases, a contrasting approach to the emerging technology. Customers: Walmart's conditions, such as applying its returns policy even when an agent acts erroneously, address potential consumer hesitations, providing a safety net for those trying agent-assisted shopping.

What to Watch

How other major retailers, especially Amazon, adjust their policies in light of Walmart's move.
Consumer adoption rates for Agent Profiles and the volume of agent-initiated purchases.
Potential standardization of protocols like MCP for agent-to-retailer connections.

Sources

While Amazon blocks AI agents, Walmart rolls out the welcome mat · TechCrunch
While Amazon blocks AI agents, Walmart rolls out the welcome mat · AI News & Artificial Intelligence | TechCrunch

Checked

10 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 5 supported.

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Partly supportedWalmart’s embrace of agentic commerce contrasts with Amazon’s decision to block AI agents.TechCrunch: “Amazon began blocking AI agents from making purchases on behalf of online shoppers.”
SupportedWalmart launched its Agent Gateway.TechCrunch: “Walmart is embracing agentic commerce with the launch of its own Agent Gateway to manage transactions”
SupportedWalmart announced on Wednesday a platform that lets AI agents search its online inventory and make purchases for users.TechCrunch: “it lets an AI agent search across Walmart’s online inventory and make purchases on behalf of the agent’s user.”
SupportedAt the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, John Furner said Walmart is preparing for AI agents to become mainstream.TechCrunch: “more technology to prepare for a world where AI agents become mainstream, said Walmart President and CEO John Furner, speaking at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco on Wednesday.”
SupportedAgent Profiles will roll out next month and let customers authorize agents, set spending limits or require approval for each purchase, and delete a profile at any time.TechCrunch: “With Agent Profiles, rolling out next month, customers will be able to authorize each AI agent they use with a dedicated profile in their account”
Partly supportedWalmart’s returns process applies even when an agent does not act as intended, a policy likely to reassure early adopters.TechCrunch: “Walmart says that its returns process applies, including when an agent doesn’t act as intended. That’s a customer-friendly condition that could sway consumers who were worried about being an early tester of agentic commerce”
Partly supportedAgents cannot access customers’ payment information, may access only task-needed information, and will be blocked if they violate the terms.TechCrunch: “Walmart also says that agents can’t take actions beyond what the shopper intends, can’t access the customers’ payment information, and can only access the information they need for the given task. Agents that don’t comply with the terms will be blocked from accessing Walmart’s site.”
SupportedAgent support is available to any Walmart account holder, does not require Walmart+, and covers Walmart and Sam’s Club purchases.TechCrunch: “The technology will support agentic shopping from both Walmart and the company’s discount warehouse, Sam’s Club. ... Agent support is available for anyone with a Walmart account; a Walmart+ membership is not necessary.”
Not in the sourcesWalmart’s new capabilities position it to lead in agentic commerce as the technology gains traction.TechCrunch
Partly supportedAmazon and travel and booking sites have locked AI agents out of their websites entirely.TechCrunch: “Amazon, began blocking AI agents from making purchases on behalf of online shoppers. ... various travel and booking sites, which have responded to the growing consumer adoption of AI agents by locking them out of their websites completely”