At CES 2024, we saw Walmart unveil a new AI-driven search capacity within their smartphone app. Its success, according to CNBC, should have Google worried:

“Creating great customer and member experiences is our top priority, and gen AI powered search makes online shopping even more intuitive and convenient,” a Walmart spokesperson told CNBC. “A single query for a themed party can serve up relevant, cross-category recommendations, replacing the need for individual searches for each and every item. This can be a significant time saver which leads to a more positive experience.”

It’s something Google at least should be concerned about, said Stefano Puntoni, professor of marketing at The Wharton School, who is also co-academic director of an executive education course on generative AI and business transformation. “Maybe when a retailer has a powerful generative AI engine on their platform, customers don’t feel the need to go on Google at all,” Puntoni said. “Maybe they’re able to get to learn about what they need directly on the retailer’s platform.”

Having used the app, I can say it’s good. Is it a Google-killer? That’s a big call.

Read the article here.