The store chain is using tech from several companies, including Everseen. The technology has been in use for the past two years. If you ask the company, it appears to be working. Spokeswoman LeMia Jenkins told BI that shrinkage rates (that is, the loss of goods to theft and accidents) have dropped at stores where the computer vision is in use. The question is whether or not the system addresses privacy concerns. While many stores have security cameras, few are using AI to study activity on this level. How long does Walmart preserve the data, and is there anything identifying? We've asked Walmart for comment, but it's safe to say that many customers aren't aware that AI is at work.
US retailer Walmart has confirmed it has installed AI-backed computer vision in more than 1,000 stores to prevent thefts. The technology, supplied by several firms, including Everseen, alerts staff if an item is not properly scanned at a till, including self-service check-outs. A Walmart spokeswoman said shrinkage rates had fallen in stores where the Missed Scan Detection programme was in use but critics have raised concerns about privacy and data use.