January 12, 2026 Google is pushing its AI chatbot deeper into online shopping, turning Gemini from a search assistant into something closer to a virtual storefront. The company said on Sunday that it is partnering with major retailers including Walmart, Shopify and Wayfair to let users discover products and complete purchases directly inside the Gemini app, without being redirected to a retailer’s website.
The announcement came on the opening day of the National Retail Federation’s annual convention in New York, where tens of thousands of retail and technology executives are gathering to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping consumer behavior.
At the center of the push is an instant checkout feature that allows shoppers to buy items from participating retailers without leaving their Gemini chat. A user planning a ski trip, for example, could ask Gemini what gear to buy and receive recommendations pulled directly from partner inventories. In Walmart’s case, customers who link their Walmart and Gemini accounts will get suggestions based on past purchases, with selected items added to their existing Walmart or Sam’s Club online carts.
The move puts Google more squarely into an intensifying race with OpenAI and Amazon to dominate AI-powered shopping. OpenAI and Walmart announced a similar deal in October, allowing ChatGPT users to check out inside the chatbot for most products on Walmart’s site. Ahead of the holiday season, OpenAI also rolled out instant checkout for select retailers and Etsy sellers.
Tech companies are betting that chat-based shopping will feel more natural than traditional search, replacing keywords and filters with back-and-forth conversations. Salesforce estimates that AI influenced $272 billion, or about 20 per cent, of global retail sales during the most recent holiday season.
For now, Google’s AI shopping features will launch only in the U.S. Payments will initially be limited to cards linked to Google accounts, with PayPal support planned next. Google said it intends to expand the feature internationally in the coming months.
Still, industry executives cautioned that the shift to so-called “agentic commerce” will be gradual. “I’m under no false belief that there’s going to be a snap of the finger and then all of a sudden, agentic commerce is going to get everywhere,” Mike Edmonds, PayPal’s vice president of agentic commerce and commercial growth, said at the convention.
Alongside the Gemini announcement, Walmart and Alphabet also used the stage to highlight physical-world ambitions tied to AI-driven retail. The companies said Walmart plans to expand drone delivery with Alphabet’s Wing to 150 additional stores, bringing the total to 270 locations by 2027. As Furner put it, the goal is to “close the gap between I want it and I have it” increasingly with AI acting as the middleman.
