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Walmart is preparing to test a new artificial intelligence system inside a store on Long Island, a move that could eventually change how the retailer monitors everything from floor cleanliness to shopping cart availability. The pilot, located in Levittown, New York, is part of an internal initiative called Kepler, which the company established in 2017 to explore how emerging technology can improve the shopping experience.

The centerpiece of the effort is what Walmart calls an Intelligent Retail Lab (IRL), a dedicated space within the Levittown store where AI will be used to spot spills, identify misplaced products, and detect when carts are running low. According to a report by TechCrunch, the lab is designed to help store associates respond faster to routine issues, though the technology also raises questions about the extent of surveillance in retail settings.

Walmart has not announced a launch date for the IRL, but the company has already begun installing the necessary hardware and software. The Levittown location was chosen as a testing ground because it is a relatively small store, making it easier to monitor and evaluate the system’s performance before any wider rollout.

How the AI Lab Could Reshape Store Operations

The IRL is expected to use computer vision and other AI tools to continuously scan the sales floor. Instead of relying on employees to manually check for spills or out-of-stock items, the system would flag issues in real time, allowing staff to address them more efficiently. Walmart’s broader vision is to use insights from the Levittown test to inform how AI might be integrated into other stores, potentially improving the shopping experience for customers across the country and beyond.

The initiative is part of a larger trend among major retailers to adopt automation and data-driven tools. While Walmart has not disclosed specific performance targets or metrics for the IRL, the company has framed the project as a way to support associates rather than replace them. Still, privacy advocates have expressed concern about the potential for AI to track not just store conditions but also customer behavior, a possibility that Walmart has not fully addressed.

For now, the Levittown lab remains a pilot, and Walmart has not said when it might expand the technology to other locations. The company’s Kepler team, which was formed to reimagine the shopping experience, has been working on several tech-forward projects, and the IRL is one of its most concrete efforts to date.

The move comes as Walmart and other retailers face increasing pressure to streamline operations and reduce costs. By automating routine monitoring tasks, Walmart could free up employees to focus on customer service, though the long-term implications for staffing and privacy remain unclear.

TechCrunch first reported the details of the IRL, noting that Walmart has already started installing the necessary equipment. The company has not commented publicly on the timeline or the specific AI models being used.