According to TechCrunch (21 October 2026), Walmart announced the Agent Gateway, an MCP server that lets approved AI agents search inventory and buy on customers’ behalf, and Agent Profiles (rolling out the following month), with a profile per agent, per-transaction approval or customer-set spending limits. Amazon began blocking agents from buying on its sites. Meta says its Muse assistant has over 10 million agent set-ups in the US and Canada. None of this is confirmed for Portugal. What can be prepared now is product data quality and measurement.
What Walmart announced
According to TechCrunch, Walmart announced on 21 October 2026 the Agent Gateway, an MCP server that lets approved AI agents connect to Walmart, search online inventory and make purchases for users. It also announced Agent Profiles, rolling out the following month: each agent has a dedicated profile in the customer’s account, with per-transaction approval or pre-set spending limits. The profile is created on the first purchase by an agent and can be deleted at any time. Walmart compares the setup to adding an authorised user to a credit card.
Support covers Walmart and Sam’s Club, and integrations with ChatGPT and Gemini already exist, plus a partnership with Meta’s Muse.
The rules Walmart imposes on agents
The source indicates Walmart’s returns process applies even when an agent doesn’t act as intended, that agents can’t act beyond the shopper’s intent, can’t access payment data and can only access data needed for the task, and that agents breaking the terms will be blocked. The article doesn’t describe how enforcement will work.
Privacy and control guarantees are Walmart’s statements, not independently verified.
AI agents and shops
Opening (Walmart)
- Agent Gateway MCP
- Profile per agent
- Approval or spending limits
Blocking (Amazon)
- Blocks agent purchases
- Muse blocked on 21 September
- Reason not explained
Amazon blocks, Meta wants to be an agent
TechCrunch says Amazon began blocking AI agents from making purchases on its sites, and a link in the article indicates Meta’s agent was blocked on amazon.com on 21 September 2026; the reason for the block isn’t explained in the article. It also says some travel and booking sites have locked agents out entirely.
Meta, in third-quarter results, says Muse has over 10 million agent set-ups in the US and Canada, with about a quarter using it daily. PPC Land says Meta plans a transaction fee, with no level or date.
And Google's Universal Cart?
PPC Land records that Google launched the Universal Cart in the US on 15 October, with payment by Google Pay or handing the purchase to the merchant’s site through the Universal Commerce Protocol, and the merchant remains the seller. An Originality.ai scan found only 26 detectable implementations across more than three million sites.
The pattern is consistent: large platforms building AI purchase layers, with different rules on who controls the customer, data and margin. For a small shop, that means potential dependence and less direct relationship.
Prudence and basic preparation are worth more than racing to trends that haven't arrived.
What it means for a Portuguese shop
None of this is confirmed for Portugal, and the launches mentioned are in the US. But the direction is clear: if customers start asking an assistant to compare and buy, shops with complete product data, updated prices, correct stock, clear policies and good reviews will have a better chance of being chosen.
The dependence risk exists: an agent may compare only price and drain margin. It’s worth differentiating by brand, service and trust, not just by price.
Six risk-free preparations
Complete feed and product pages (GTIN, measurements, materials, stock, lead times); consistent and honest prices and promotions; clear returns and warranty policies; verified reviews; correct structured data on pages; and measurement of purchase origins. These actions serve today’s channels (Shopping, marketplaces, search) and tomorrow’s.
If an agent buys, you want to know what was bought, by whom and at what price. Prepare order records and customer service for agent requests.
What not to do
Don’t pay for “AI agent optimisation” to anyone promising positions or access: ecosystems change week to week and each platform’s rules differ. Don’t open your shop to all agents without conditions. And don’t stop measuring.
Prudence and basic preparation are worth more than racing to trends that haven’t reached your market.
Questions for your manager
Are our feed and product pages complete? Which AI shopping platforms will reach our market? How do we measure sales that begin outside our site? What policy do we have for agent requests? Who follows these developments?
If you want to prepare your shop’s catalogue and measurement for agentic commerce, without betting on what doesn’t yet exist, I can help build a six-step plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is Walmart's Agent Gateway?
An MCP server that lets approved AI agents search and buy at Walmart, according to TechCrunch.
Does this reach Portugal?
There is no confirmation. The launches mentioned are in the US.
Should I open my shop to agents?
There is no consolidated standard yet. Prepare data, policies and measurement, and follow.
Sources consulted
Keep reading
- Merchant API replaces Content API on 18 August and the performance report was redefined on 24 August: what to check in your shop
- Google's Universal Cart and Universal Commerce Protocol: what they are, where they exist and what to do in a Portuguese shop
- Merchant Center: low-quality images no longer block products, but 500 x 500 pixels become mandatory on 31 January 2027