Walmart Inc. (WMT) is having quite the Monday. The retail behemoth saw shares climb 2.23% to $117.08 after announcing not one, but two significant developments that signal where the company is headed in 2025.

Breaking Into the Tech Index

First up: Nasdaq confirmed that Walmart will join the Nasdaq-100 Index before markets open on January 20. The timing works out neatly since markets will be closed the day before for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, giving everyone the long weekend to adjust their portfolios.

Walmart will also be added to the Nasdaq-100 Equal Weighted Index and the Nasdaq-100 Ex-Tech Sector Index. The company is taking the spot currently held by AstraZeneca, which is getting bumped from the index.

Shopping Meets Artificial Intelligence

The more interesting announcement might be Walmart's new partnership with Google. The two companies are launching an AI-powered shopping experience that brings Walmart and Sam's Club products directly into Google's Gemini assistant using something called the Universal Commerce Protocol.

Here's how it works: when you're chatting with Gemini and mention something you need, the AI can now surface relevant products from Walmart and Sam's Club. If you link your accounts, things get more personalized—recommendations based on what you've bought before, integration with your existing cart, and access to Walmart+ and Sam's Club membership perks.

The delivery piece is particularly ambitious. Walmart says customers will get fast delivery options, including locally curated products delivered in under three hours. In select locations, you could get items in as little as 30 minutes, which is pretty wild when you think about it.

The Gemini integration will launch first in the United States, with international markets coming later.