Walmart Supply Chain Technology: AI, Digital Twins, and Agentic Models in 2026 - News and Statistics

Jul 16, 2026

Walmart‘s supply chain technology team has long used predictive models, but the retailer now has access to more data and AI tools to navigate a complex environment, according to Indira Uppuluri, Walmart‘s senior vice president of supply chain technology. The company collects data on weather patterns and customer purchase history, and machine learning has enhanced the insights available to supply chain technology teams.

Uppuluri stated that Walmart has access to the large language models and open source models popular among enterprises. The company’s data science and optimization teams also build custom AI tools to meet business needs. Walmart partners with OpenAI and Google on role-specific AI certifications offered through its associate-facing platform, Squiggly, which encourages employees to create their own tools.

The supply chain technology team manages the company’s nodes—where products are received, processed, stored, or shipped—as well as its fulfillment engine, which sources inventory and refines delivery standards. The team also oversees technology for inbound, outbound, and middle mile transportation. This challenge is growing as same-day delivery becomes more common; Walmart-owned Sam’s Club introduced a one-hour delivery option in April.

Agentic AI and Digital Twins

Uppuluri said her team uses AI models and agents to optimize the behind-the-scenes aspects of product management. Rather than examining one node at a time, associates can access agents that show how company resources are being used overall and how to optimize them or address bottlenecks. She noted that the team is balancing and optimizing assortment, speed, and cost through the supply chain.

The year 2026 has been marked by turbulence driven by tariffs and geopolitical factors, making it difficult for supply chain leaders. Extreme weather or environmental disruptions add to the challenge. Much of supply chain management involves preparing for and reacting to events that hinder product movement. Uppuluri said her teams can sometimes anticipate disruptive events like weather, but often cannot.

The same internal platform that helps move products efficiently also helps Walmart prepare for rapid, unexpected changes. Uppuluri’s team uses modeling tools and digital twin technology to test how the network might respond to facility closures, transportation delays, or sudden shifts in customer demand. Transportation teams use virtual replicas of the company’s logistics network to simulate goods movement under stress. She explained that if a fire occurs somewhere, the systems behind the scenes use data to generate actions, and associates can implement those recommendations.

Uppuluri indicated that the supply chain industry has evolved alongside AI, from stochastic models to large language models and now to AI agents and agentic work. The combination of technologies used will continue to evolve over time, as both the supply chain and the models behind it evolve.

1. INTRODUCTION

Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business

REPORT DESCRIPTION
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE AI PLATFORM
DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A Quick Overview of Market Performance

KEY FINDINGS
MARKET TRENDS This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO

3. MARKET OVERVIEW

Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects

MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
MARKET FORECAST TO 2035

4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION

Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business

TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
MOST CONSUMED PRODUCTS
MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
MOST PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT

5. MOST PROMISING SUPPLYING COUNTRIES

Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain

TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES
TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
LOW-COST EXPORTING COUNTRIES

6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS

Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export

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UNSATURATED MARKETS
TOP IMPORTING MARKETS
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7. PRODUCTION

The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry

PRODUCTION VOLUME AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

8. IMPORTS

The Largest Import Supplying Countries

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IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

9. EXPORTS

The Largest Destinations for Exports

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EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

10. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS

The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles

11. COUNTRY PROFILES

The Largest Markets And Their Profiles

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