Walmart Inc. (WMT) rose 0.25% to $113.36 during Tuesday's intraday trading, gaining $0.28 as shares moved modestly higher. The advance coincided with new research from UBS highlighting Walmart's strong position in artificial intelligence-powered shopping recommendations. Analysts identified the retailer as a frequent suggestion across leading AI chatbots, a dynamic that opens another potential channel for attracting customers.

UBS Research Highlights Walmart's Strength in AI Shopping

UBS analysts examined how leading AI chatbots recommend retailers when consumers search for everyday products and shopping advice. The research covered several shopping categories, including groceries, household supplies, and other essential consumer goods. Across those categories, Walmart frequently appeared among the leading recommendations, a result that reflected its established retail presence and competitive pricing.

To evaluate different recommendation patterns, the analysts tested 12 shopping questions across New Jersey, New York, and Minnesota. They reviewed responses from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Muse to identify which retailers appeared most frequently. Because the sample spanned three states and four different chatbots, the results reflect recommendation patterns across regions and AI platforms rather than from any single source. Walmart performed strongly across multiple categories, while Costco and Aldi also gained recognition for their respective retail strengths, an indication that frequent chatbot mentions extended beyond Walmart alone.

The findings underscore how artificial intelligence could influence where consumers begin their shopping journeys. Chatbots help users compare products, identify retailers, and narrow purchasing decisions without reviewing multiple websites, consolidating steps that previously required visits to several sources. For retailers, that shift moves part of the product-discovery process into the AI answers themselves, where prominence depends on how often a company appears in chatbot recommendations. Walmart could attract additional interest as more households incorporate these tools into everyday shopping activities.

Gartner Survey Shows Growing Demand for AI Shopping Tools

A Gartner survey found that 34% of American consumers expressed strong willingness to use AI for holiday gift recommendations. Researchers surveyed 1,004 consumers in August 2026 to examine changing shopping habits ahead of the holiday season. The results indicate growing acceptance of automated product suggestions, particularly among consumers seeking faster purchasing decisions. Because the fieldwork predates the holiday shopping period, the findings capture stated intent, and actual tool usage during the season is a pattern that can be tracked in the weeks ahead.

Traditional shopping channels continue to play a central role despite rising interest in artificial intelligence. Gartner found that 77% of respondents planned to shop in physical stores during the holiday period, while 75% expected to purchase products through Amazon, highlighting continued demand for established retail platforms.

Walmart's extensive store network gives the company an established position across both physical and online retail markets. Its product selection spans groceries, electronics, clothing, household goods, and other frequently purchased consumer products, an assortment that overlaps directly with the grocery and household-supply categories UBS tested. Customers can combine online searches with store visits, pickup services, and home delivery options, giving the retailer multiple routes to reach shoppers during the holiday season.

Walmart Stock Valuation Remains a Key Growth Challenge

Despite the potential benefits of AI recommendations, Walmart shares have delivered relatively modest gains during 2026. The stock has advanced approximately 2% this year, trailing the broader market despite the company's established retail operations. Its valuation exceeds 40 times trailing earnings, a level that places greater emphasis on future revenue and profit growth.

Walmart generated more than $730 billion in revenue over the preceding 12 months, reflecting its substantial operating scale. However, that size also means incremental sales from AI referrals may produce limited changes in overall growth. The company would need significant additional customer spending to meaningfully improve its revenue trajectory.

Walmart continues to develop its digital operations while maintaining its position in the competitive US retail market. Its broad product selection and established reputation for affordable goods support its visibility across emerging shopping platforms. While the UBS findings identify another potential source of customer traffic, they do not on their own establish additional sales or earnings for the company. The holiday season, when large majorities of surveyed consumers plan to shop in physical stores and through established platforms, is the near-term period in which AI shopping tools' adoption can be measured against those traditional channels.