Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Thursday that Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) has patented technology that could let the retailer charge shoppers different prices for the same item based on what else is in their cart.
Surveillance Pricing
“Imagine scanning a can of tuna in your grocery cart, and suddenly your next item, mayo, now has a HIGHER PRICE BUT ONLY FOR YOU,” Warren said in a post on X, pointing to commentary from Groundwork Collaborative President Lindsay Owens.
Owens, who appeared on “The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart” released last week, said Walmart’s patents are “a really scary place to look,” citing a granted patent for smart carts that let shoppers scan items as they shop.
She said the patent’s own example involves tuna and mayonnaise: “once you’ve got the tuna, the price of mayonnaise should adjust,” since the system infers the shopper is likely making tuna salad and can price accordingly.
“Walmart just patented tech that could make this surveillance pricing possible,” the senator added.
Walmart did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for a comment.
Sparky’s Basket Sizes Are Already Climbing
Owens pointed to Walmart’s earnings calls as evidence that AI tools are already reshaping pricing and upselling, attributing higher basket totals partly to the AI assistant’s skill at “upselling” and “bundling.”
In August, Walmart CEO John Furner said customers who used the retailer’s AI shopping assistant, Sparky, spent 40% more per order than non-users, and usage rose 70% year over year.
Sparky is also good at “closing,” Owens said, making sure shoppers don’t abandon their cart before checkout, and noted that even a seemingly innocent question like “what do you need today and when do you need it?” can reveal how urgently a customer needs an item, information she said could eventually factor into how much they’re charged.
Price Action: On Thursday, Walmart’s stock fell 2.66% to close at $107.59 and fell 0.03% in extended trading, according to Benzinga Pro.
Benzinga edge rankings indicate Walmart’s stock has a Momentum score in the 31st percentile and a Growth score in the 60th percentile.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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