For Amazon and Walmart, Memorial Day has become more than a holiday weekend — it’s a major opportunity to test retail strategies, showcase innovation, and strengthen consumer loyalty. As both companies face a challenging economic environment, they are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to drive growth, improve efficiency, and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Walmart is undergoing a digital transformation, leveraging AI to enhance its e-commerce operations and customer experience. The company recently rolled out generative AI tools designed to help shoppers and employees navigate inventory and locate products more easily. These developments contributed to a 21% rise in U.S. e-commerce sales. At the same time, Walmart is optimizing its workforce by cutting some roles in tech and fulfillment teams, aiming to concentrate resources in fast-growing areas.
Amazon, meanwhile, continues to deepen its integration of AI across its vast ecosystem. The company has introduced AI-driven search capabilities in Amazon Music, allowing users to find content through natural language queries. It is also empowering its third-party sellers, who now contribute 60% of sales, with generative AI tools for listing optimization and customer engagement. These efforts reflect Amazon’s commitment to using AI to create a seamless and intelligent shopping experience.
Despite their advancements, both retailers are navigating economic pressures. Walmart has implemented selective price increases in response to tariffs, while Amazon has largely avoided major pricing impacts due to its diversified supply chain. Notably, Amazon is resuming a delivery partnership with FedEx for large packages, as UPS plans to reduce its delivery volume for the company.
Memorial Day serves as a key moment for both giants to reinforce their market positions — Walmart through affordability and community presence, and Amazon through technological sophistication and ecosystem growth.
