Sparky, Walmart’s new money-burning AI bot

Walmart has announced its “Ask Sparky” feature, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent to help you burn through your paycheck.

In the AI age, more and more companies are employing AI agents to help customers spend more money with them.

But in this economy, the need to be frugal with your funds means not pouring money in the pockets of massive corporations.

That’s maybe one of the reasons why shopping giant Walmart has launched its new AI agent, Sparky.

Starting this week, customers can use Sparky in the Walmart app. Walmart claims it will help users “search and find items, synthesize reviews, and offer insights to prepare for any occasion."

For example, if a user is wondering what the weather is like at the beach, Sparky can look up the information and direct customers to outfits perfect for the occasion – but only at Walmart.

Major retailers that use AI are seemingly being propped up by bots guiding customers through their purchases.

In turn, this is helping users spend more money on stuff they don’t necessarily need, instead of just helping customers “make informed choices.”

The bot, “designed to be a trusted partner,” will soon do even more for customers, from automatically reordering household items to booking services that will make spending your hard-earned cash even easier.

What’s interesting about Walmart’s vision for Sparky is that it will become an AI agent that will “solve everyday problems” and help customers free up time for “what matters most.”

Is Walmart trying to give ChatGPT a run for its money? Hardly.

Instead, this AI bot will just help you figure out what you need to spend your money on in a “highly personalized” manner that is “coordinated within budget,” of course.

Walmart isn’t the only company that’s tried to push AI on its clients.

A Chevrolet dealership employed a customer service chatbot powered by ChatGPT to help customers buy their dream cars.

However, one self-proclaimed hacker jailbroke the bot, making the AI agent sell a 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, a full-sized SUV, that’s usually between $60,000 and $70,000, for just $1.

Demonstrating that using AI in business doesn’t always bring in the big bucks.