AI Shopping Tools Lift Retail Basket Sizes and Sales

Walmart, Amazon and Target’s latest second-quarter earnings underscore how generative AI is moving beyond search and customer service to become a retail growth engine. Shopping assistants can compare prices, narrow product choices and guide purchases, while personalized recommendations improve conversion. The shift is making conversational commerce a new battleground for online traffic, customer loyalty and consumer spending.

Retailers reported that customers using AI shopping tools generated average basket values 40% higher than other shoppers, alongside gains in online traffic and sales. Walmart, Amazon and Target are expanding their AI capabilities, while retailers are also deepening ties with platforms including OpenAI. The results suggest merchants are moving quickly to turn consumer interest in conversational shopping into measurable revenue growth.