Walmart says it will not use artificial intelligence to set prices based on customers’ personal information.
John Furner, the company’s president and CEO, addressed concerns about personalized pricing in a Sept. 25 letter, writing, “We price the product, not the person.”
Walmart’s AI shopping assistant, Sparky, is meant to help customers, Furner said, not use personal information to set individual prices. He said the company would honor customers’ choices and monitor its technology against that commitment.
Walmart’s statement comes as dynamic pricing — adjusting prices based on changing market conditions — draws scrutiny. The company also said it would continue to have employees oversee pricing.
Furner’s letter followed a recent report of slower comparable sales growth and concerns that high gasoline prices are squeezing shoppers, according to Reuters.
Digital Shelf Labels Could Speed Up Price Changes
Walmart is also rolling out digital shelf labels across its stores. The centrally controlled labels replace paper tags, and the company says price changes that once took days could be made in minutes.
Walmart introduced the labels at a store in Grapevine, Texas, in 2024. Earlier this year, they were installed at about 2,300 additional locations, the company said. The labels can also help workers find items that need restocking or that are being collected for online orders.
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