Google is changing online shopping by adding retail commerce directly into its Gemini AI chatbot, the company announced this week. This change brings major retailers, including Walmart, Shopify, and Wayfair, into Gemini’s chat interface. Users can discover, select, and buy products without leaving the conversation.
This initiative was revealed on the first day of the National Retail Federation’s annual convention in New York. It represents a shift from traditional web or app browsing to what industry leaders refer to as “agent-led commerce.” In simple terms, users can ask Gemini for recommendations, such as ski gear for a winter trip, and receive curated product listings from participating merchants. If they decide to buy, an instant checkout feature completes the purchase within the chatbot.
Customers who link their Walmart or Sam’s Club accounts to Gemini get a personalized experience. Gemini can suggest items based on previous purchases and even add new items to their existing Walmart or Sam’s Club shopping cart. The U.S. market will see early availability, with plans for a wider international rollout later. Initial payments will be processed using cards linked to Google accounts, and support for services like PayPal will follow soon.
Walmart’s incoming CEO, John Furner, described the shift from search to conversational shopping as a major step forward in retail. Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai framed the partnership as a way to combine artificial intelligence with everyday consumer needs.
This development places Google in direct rivalry with competitors also exploring AI-powered commerce. OpenAI and Amazon are creating similar tools that allow users to go from browsing to buying within chat interfaces. The overall trend shows how generative AI is reshaping e-commerce by narrowing the gap between product discovery and purchase.
Retailers see benefits in keeping users within a single conversational flow. This approach simplifies shopping, shortens checkout steps, and could change consumer behavior as AI assistants take on a bigger role in online retail.
