Walmart has taken another major step in its digital transformation journey. In collaboration with Wiliot, a company known for its ambient Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the retail giant has started deploying inventory-tracking sensors across its vast supply chain. This move aims to strengthen Walmart’s artificial intelligence capabilities and bring real-time visibility into every corner of its operations.

According to Wiliot’s announcement on October 2, the sensors are designed to improve supply chain efficiency, inventory accuracy, and cold chain compliance. By gathering live data on stock levels, locations, and movement, Walmart aims to replace guesswork with instant, data-driven insights.

Expanding Smart Tracking Across the Network

The rollout is already underway across 500 Walmart stores. By 2026, the plan is to extend this technology nationwide, reaching over 4,600 stores and more than 40 distribution centers. These sensors, called Wiliot Pixels, are currently attached to pallets that move from distribution centers to stores.

Julien Bellanger, Wiliot’s president, explained that the long-term goal is even more precise. The company intends to bring this technology down to the case level, allowing Walmart to track inventory item by item. “Granular tracking gives retailers the power to act on exact information rather than estimates,” Bellanger said in an interview with Supply Chain Dive.

Improving Cold Chain and Reducing Manual Work

One of the strongest applications for these sensors lies in cold chain management, where temperature control and timing are critical. Bellanger pointed out that the technology ensures perishable goods like fruits and vegetables are moved to coolers immediately after arriving at the store. The sensors can automatically alert teams, reducing delays and minimizing waste.

He added that this system replaces the need for manual scanning or paperwork. Instead, it generates automatic digital confirmations when goods arrive or move. “There is no paper trail, no manual entry, just an automatic signal created from real data,” Bellanger said. This not only saves time but also improves accountability across suppliers and Walmart’s own teams.

Feeding Data into AI for Smarter Decisions

All sensor data flows directly into Walmart’s growing AI ecosystem. With artificial intelligence now playing a central role in its logistics and inventory systems, the retailer can analyze data patterns faster, predict shortages, and optimize restocking before issues occur.

Greg Cathey, Walmart’s Senior Vice President of Transformation and Innovation, explained how the partnership fits into the company’s long-term vision. “With Wiliot’s ambient IoT technology coupled with our AI systems, we’re not only optimizing our supply chain to make faster, smarter inventory decisions, but we’re also tackling one of the hardest problems in retail, knowing exactly what we own and where it is at any given moment,” he said.

The Road Ahead

As Walmart scales up this initiative, the combination of IoT and AI could redefine how retail logistics function. Real-time tracking, automated confirmations, and predictive insights mark a shift toward a more intelligent and responsive supply chain.

For Walmart, the collaboration with Wiliot represents more than a technology upgrade, it signals a move toward a future where every product tells its own story through data.