Two developments over the weekend underlined the retailer's transformation from big-box store chain to e-commerce giant. ...

Core Insights - Walmart has launched a new consumer experience within Google's AI chatbot Gemini, enhancing its AI initiatives with external partners [1][2] - The integration allows Gemini users to discover Walmart and Sam's Club products, facilitating transactions within Walmart's checkout environment [2] - The initiative will first be available in the U.S. before expanding internationally [2] Group 1: Leadership and Strategic Direction - Incoming Walmart CEO John Furner discussed the development alongside Google CEO Sundar Pichai at The National Retail Federation's 2026 Big Show [3] - Pichai announced a new suite of AI tools for retailers through Gemini, including the Universal Commerce Protocol for agentic commerce [3][4] - Furner emphasized the company's willingness to adapt its operations and customer interactions in response to AI advancements [5][6] Group 2: Industry Context and Evolution - Google has reported a significant year-over-year increase in AI usage among retailers, indicating a broader trend in the industry [4] - Furner reflected on the evolution of retail, noting that the industry is currently in a transformative period requiring a rewrite of the retail playbook [6]

Core Viewpoint - Walmart is experiencing a pre-market increase of 2.6%, reaching $117.5, potentially setting a new historical high, driven by the announcement of AI shopping assistants in collaboration with major retailers like Google, Shopify, and Wayfair [1] Group 1: AI Integration in Retail - Google has announced partnerships with Walmart and other large retailers to transition from traditional search methods to AI-driven shopping experiences, marking a significant transformation in the retail industry [1] - The collaboration signifies a shift towards AI agents dominating the commercial landscape, indicating the next major change in retail [1] Group 2: Market Position and Index Changes - Walmart will replace AstraZeneca in the Nasdaq 100 index, with the adjustment set to take effect on January 20, 2026 [1]

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that Walmart's stock price increased by 2.6% in pre-market trading due to its upcoming inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index on January 20, replacing AstraZeneca [1]

Group 1 - Walmart will replace AstraZeneca in the Nasdaq 100 index on January 20, leading to a pre-market stock price increase of 2.6% [1]

Core Insights - Walmart has partnered with Google's AI platform, Gemini, to enhance product discovery and purchasing for customers [1][2] - The collaboration was announced at the National Retail Federation's Big Show and will initially launch in the U.S. before expanding internationally [2] - This partnership is part of Walmart's strategy to adapt to the increasing use of AI chatbots by consumers [3] Company Developments - Walmart's incoming CEO, John Furner, and Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, highlighted the significance of this collaboration in the retail sector [3] - Walmart previously collaborated with OpenAI's ChatGPT to introduce "Instant Checkout," allowing purchases through the AI chatbot [3] Industry Trends - The partnership signifies a broader trend of AI's growing influence in the retail industry, with AI becoming a crucial intermediary in shopping experiences [4] - Adobe reported an 805% year-over-year increase in AI-driven traffic, indicating the rising importance of AI tools in helping consumers find deals [4] Competitive Landscape - Microsoft has also launched a suite of "agentic AI" tools aimed at automating retail tasks, showcasing the competitive push towards AI integration in retail [5] - Walmart ranks in the 93rd percentile for quality and 74th percentile for momentum according to Benzinga's Edge Rankings, indicating strong performance metrics [5] Stock Performance - Over the past year, Walmart's stock has increased by 24.76%, closing at $114.53 after a 1.29% rise on the last trading day [6]

Core Insights - The AI sector is experiencing significant growth, with various subfields such as AI marketing, Sora concept, and AIGC seeing stock surges, leading to over 20 stocks hitting the "20cm" limit up [1] - Retail is undergoing profound changes due to AI technology, highlighted by the partnership between Google and Walmart, which has made AI shopping stocks a market focus [1][3] AI Sector Performance - Multiple AI and commercial aerospace-related stocks, including Yidian Tianxia and Tianyin Machinery, have shown strong performance, reflecting high market enthusiasm for high-tech growth stocks [3] - AIGC concept stock LEO shares have performed exceptionally well, with LEO Digital focusing on AI since 2023 and launching its self-developed AIGC ecosystem platform "LEOAIAD" [3] Retail Industry Transformation - Walmart and Google announced a collaboration allowing consumers to use Google's AI assistant Gemini for shopping at Walmart and Sam's Club, marking a significant shift in retail towards AI-driven shopping [3] - The transition from traditional search to AI assistant-driven shopping is seen as a major transformation in the retail industry, with Walmart leading this trend [3] Future Outlook - The widespread adoption of AI-assisted shopping is anticipated, with Visa's global market president predicting 2026 as a pivotal year for mainstream AI shopping [4] - Morgan Stanley views this as the beginning of the "Agent-style e-commerce" era, forecasting a GMV of approximately $190 billion by 2030 under baseline conditions, potentially reaching $385 billion in optimistic scenarios [4] A-Share Market Trends - AI retail concept stocks in the A-share market have shown robust performance, with companies like Qingmu Technology and Shanghai Jiubai seeing cumulative increases of over 20% this year [5] - Analysts highlight that the "AIization" of retail is moving from conceptual hype to practical implementation, with a focus on companies that can effectively leverage AI for cost reduction and efficiency [5]

眼下，越来越多的消费者习惯在购物前，先向AI提问。为顺应这一变化，当地时间11日，美国零售业 巨头沃尔玛和科技公司谷歌宣布开展合作，沃尔玛将把谷歌的生成式AI聊天机器人Gemini整合进购物 流程，让消费者能通过AI助手更快发现商品、比价并完成购买。近期，微软也加入竞争，在AI对话中 为用户提供商品推荐和结账服务。麦肯锡的一项报告显示，到2030年，在AI工具和"智能体商业"的推动 下，全球零售市场的潜在规模有望达到3万亿到5万亿美元。 ...

Group 1 - Google announced a collaboration with major retailers like Walmart to enhance its Gemini AI model's shopping capabilities, transforming it from a "smart assistant" to a "virtual merchant" capable of completing transactions directly [2] - The Gemini application will introduce an "instant checkout" feature, allowing consumers to purchase products from select retailers within the chat interface without needing to navigate away from the app [2] - Walmart's incoming president and CEO, John Furner, stated that the shift from traditional web or app searches to "agent-driven commerce" represents a significant evolution in the retail industry [2] Group 2 - The announcement was made at the National Retail Federation's annual conference, which is expected to attract around 40,000 attendees from the retail and technology sectors, with a focus on AI's application in e-commerce and its impact on consumer behavior [3] - Companies like Google, OpenAI, and Amazon are competing to develop AI shopping tools, aiming to establish chatbots as new entry points for e-commerce [3] - Google's Gemini AI shopping features will initially be available only to U.S. users, with plans to expand to international markets in the coming months [3]

美国谷歌公司11日表示，将与沃尔玛公司等大型零售商合作，扩展其"双子座"人工智能（AI）模型的购 物功能，推动双子座应用从"智能助手"升级为可直接完成交易的"虚拟商家"。 谷歌、开放人工智能研究中心（OpenAI）和亚马逊等企业正竞相开发AI购物工具，力图把聊天机器人 打造为新的电商入口。去年10月，OpenAI与沃尔玛宣布类似合作，称将允许人工智能聊天机器人 ChatGPT的用户通过"即时结账"功能购买沃尔玛网站上除生鲜外的大部分商品。 谷歌表示，"双子座"人工智能模型的购物功能初期仅面向美国用户开放，未来数月将扩展至国际市场。 （文章来源：新华社） 据介绍，双子座应用将引入"即时结账"功能，消费者在聊天界面内即可从部分商家完成商品购买，无需 打开该应用以外的界面。 沃尔玛候任总裁兼首席执行官约翰·弗纳表示，从传统网页或应用搜索向"智能体主导的商业"转变，代 表零售业的下一次重要演进。 相关消息在11日开幕的美国全国零售商联合会年度大会上发布。大会在纽约举行，预计将吸引约4万名 来自零售和科技行业的参会者。业内人士认为，AI在电子商务领域的应用及其对消费者行为的影响将 成为会议焦点。 ...