Walmart Secures Machine Learning Patents to Improve Retail Pricing

Retailers are deploying machine learning for demand forecasting and inventory clearance, and Walmart's move has drawn attention because of the scale of its e-commerce business. The patents could allow discounts to reflect demand and price elasticity more quickly, but they have also raised concerns that algorithms could drive up prices or personalize them. Walmart said the tools do not involve dynamic or surge pricing and that employees retain final control over recommendations.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued Patent No. 12,524,776 on January 13, 2026, covering technology that automatically updates discounted prices on Walmart's e-commerce platform based on demand, price elasticity and inventory. On March 10, it issued Patent No. 12,572,954, which uses machine learning to forecast demand over the next week, month or quarter and provide pricing recommendations. The two patents came to light on March 18. By then, Walmart had secured nearly 50 U.S. patents that year.