While Amazon blocks AI agents, Walmart rolls out the welcome mat

Walmart is opening its commerce stack to AI agents, enabling them to complete purchases for customers rather than stopping at product discovery or recommendations. The system includes controls for spending limits and transaction approvals, giving shoppers a way to delegate routine buying without handing an agent unrestricted access. The strategy contrasts sharply with Amazon, which is blocking third-party shopping agents from operating on its site. For AI builders, that split signals an emerging platform choice: retailers can treat agents as unwanted intermediaries, or support them as a new purchasing channel. Walmart's approach could create opportunities for agent developers working on replenishment, comparison shopping, and household procurement, but adoption will depend on reliable permissions, payment security, and clear handling of returns and disputes.