Walmart announced a new Agent Gateway, an MCP server that allows approved AI agents to connect to its online inventory and complete purchases on behalf of shoppers. The move sets Walmart apart from competitors like Amazon, which recently began blocking AI agents from making purchases, as well as travel and booking sites that have locked agents out entirely.
The retailer is also introducing Agent Profiles next month, letting customers authorize each AI agent with a dedicated profile in their account. Shoppers will see agent purchases separately from their own and can require approval for each transaction or set a spending limit, similar to adding an authorized user to a credit card.
Walmart is publishing terms for agents, specifying that they cannot access payment information or act beyond the shopper's intent. The company also says its normal returns process applies even when an agent doesn't act as intended, and agents that fail to comply will be blocked from the site.