New York City | Google and Walmart are expanding their partnership to integrate AI‑driven shopping, real‑time commerce data and drone delivery into the retail experience. Announced at the NRF Big Show, the collaboration signals how conversational AI and new fulfillment models are moving from experimentation into retail infrastructure.
NRF 2026: AI Unites Google and Walmart
At NRF 2026, Google and Walmart announced an expanded strategic partnership around AI and new delivery technologies. In a joint keynote, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and incoming Walmart CEO John Furner outlined how AI‑based shopping, personalization and drone logistics will influence retail operations from 2026 onwards.
Central to the partnership is the planned integration of Walmart products into Google’s AI chatbot Gemini. Shoppers will be able to search for, compare and purchase products directly within conversational AI. Gemini will access real‑time assortments, pricing and availability, while loyalty members can link their Walmart accounts to enable personalized recommendations based on shopping history and preferences.
According to Furner, convenience and personalization will be the defining elements of future retail experiences. For Walmart, AI becomes a new customer interface rather than just a back‑end optimization tool.
The announcements underline how retail is increasingly shaped by platform partnerships. AI‑driven shopping interfaces, real‑time commerce data and rapid fulfillment are becoming core infrastructure.
Universal Commerce Protocol
Google also introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an AI commerce framework designed to become an industry standard. Developed in cooperation with major retail players including Walmart, Shopify, Etsy, and Target, UCP is intended to enable AI agents to interact directly with retailers’ commerce systems.
The protocol allows retailers to personalize messages, loyalty prompts and offers within AI‑driven conversations while retaining control over the customer relationship. The first implementation already supports native checkout in Google’s AI Mode and Gemini, including payment via Google Pay.
For Google, UCP is a strategic response to increasing competition from other AI platforms, as conversational AI continues to challenge traditional search models. Gemini now benefits from Google’s Shopping Graph, which includes more than 50 billion product listings with real‑time pricing, reviews and inventory data.
Drone delivery expansion
Beyond AI commerce, Walmart is also expanding its drone delivery operations in partnership with Google’s Wing service. Already active in cities such as Dallas, Orlando and Atlanta, the service will be rolled out to an additional 150 locations, including Miami and Los Angeles, reaching a total of 270 locations across the U.S.
According to Google, around half of Wing customers in Atlanta use the service repeatedly, with many deliveries completed in under 20 minutes. Furner acknowledged ongoing regulatory and technical challenges but described the expansion as a key step toward nationwide drone delivery.
