Sam's Club has begun rolling out artificial intelligence-powered technology in some stores to confirm purchases as members leave the store.
The new authentication technology replaces physical check receipts and has been implemented in 120 Sam's Club stores across the United States. The Walmart-owned retailer said in a press release Tuesday that more than half of its customers have used the option in stores where the technology is available, and that it has helped members cancel their clubs 23% faster.
The AI technology, first announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, will be rolled out to all of Sam's Club's roughly 600 stores by the end of the year.
The retailer is not the only company designing to integrate artificial intelligence capabilities into the shopping experience. But Sam's Club on Tuesday claimed the rollout “represents the largest implementation of AI-powered technology for members in the retail industry.”
“We're extremely proud of our team's innovation and dedication to implementing this member experience technology,” Todd Garner, Sam's Club chief product officer, said in a statement.
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How Sam's Club's AI technology works
This AI technology is a new way for Sam's Club to verify that members have paid for items in their shopping carts without having to wait in line for employees to manually review receipts.
Sam's Club said, “Members want a faster, more convenient shopping experience and consistently rate exit wait times as a pain point in their shopping experience, especially during peak seasons.”
This new feature also works with the Sam's Club Scan and Go app, which allows shoppers to call and pay for their orders when adding items to their carts. Shoppers complete checkout at the register or on the app, then exit through a blue gateway equipped with a camera and scanner to capture the inventory of items in their cart and compare it to their order.
Sam's Club says the technology will also allow exit attendants tasked with checking receipts to complete other tasks or assist customers in other ways.
How other stores are using artificial intelligence
Several other retailers have introduced scan-and-go apps, where customers scan items while shopping and pay through the app.
Amazon is also working to expand its “Just Walk Out” technology in its own stores and third-party retailers such as airports and sports stadiums. The technology, which debuted in 2018, uses artificial intelligence, cameras and several sensors to allow shoppers to grab what they want and leave the store without having to stop at the checkout.
The Just Walk Out feature allows customers to enter a store, purchase items, and leave using Amazon One, a credit or debit card, or a mobile wallet app. Cameras and sensors on the shelves work with artificial intelligence to see what customers have received and returned, and automatically charge them for their purchases.
Although Amazon said it would phase out the technology at grocery stores like Whole Foods, it still uses the technology at 140 of its third-party stores, with plans to double that number this year.
Contributor: Betty Lin-Fisher
Eric Lagatta covers the latest and trending news for USA TODAY. Please contact elagatta@gannett.com.
