Oct 29 (Reuters) – Walmart said on Thursday it had extended its agreement with AI robotics firm Symbotic, committing about $6 billion over several years to bring more automation capabilities to its distribution network.
Symbotic has been helping Walmart automate its supply chain since 2017.
Under the agreement, Symbotic will bring additional automation capabilities to 25 of Walmart’s regional distribution centers in the US and support its supply chain capabilities globally.
Walmart said the agreement aimed to support its e-commerce upstream inventory management, increase storage capacity and improve how products move through the supply chain.
These capabilities will help Walmart offer customers a broader assortment, improve speed and provide more reliable replenishment across its network, the retailer said.
Retailers are increasingly deploying chatbots, along with targeted promotions and loyalty programs to entice shoppers who often turn to AI for product recommendations.
(Reporting by Sanskriti Shekhar and Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Diti Pujara)
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