Walmart E-Commerce Tops $150B with 27% Growth, OpenAI Nears $100B Round
Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce sales topped $150B in Q4, up 27%, with deliveries growing over 50% and 35% arriving in under three hours, intensifying competition for Amazon. OpenAI is nearing a $100B funding round at a $730B pre-money valuation, with Amazon among strategic investors eyeing expanded AWS Trainium usage.
1. Walmart’s E-Commerce Surge
Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce sales reached $150 billion in Q4, marking a 27% year-over-year increase. Store-fulfilled delivery channels grew over 50% and 35% of orders were delivered in under three hours, highlighting efficiency gains that intensify pressure on Amazon’s online retail operations.
2. AI-Driven Shopping Assistant
Walmart’s AI-powered Sparky agent helped customers build digital baskets with average order values roughly 35% higher than those of non-Sparky users. This demonstrates how personalized AI tools can drive higher sales and challenge Amazon’s Prime-led convenience model.
3. OpenAI Funding and AWS Implications
OpenAI is closing in on a $100 billion funding round at a $730 billion pre-money valuation, with Amazon among the strategic investors. This underscores surging demand for AI infrastructure and could accelerate adoption of AWS Trainium chips for large-scale machine-learning workloads.