Walmart is moving ahead with one of the most ambitious artificial intelligence workforce strategies in global retail, with plans to equip its entire 2.1 million-strong workforce with AI skills over the coming years as part of a wider transformation of how the business operates.
Speaking to Riad Beladi, Editor of International Supermarket News, at the IMT EmTech AI Summit, Donna Morris, Executive Vice-President and Chief People Officer at Walmart, outlined how the retailer is embedding AI across every layer of the organisation, from head office functions to frontline store associates.
Morris described Walmart as a “people-led, tech powered” business, highlighting how the company has been developing its AI strategy since the rise of generative AI in 2022. What initially began as internal experimentation has since evolved into a structured framework, with dedicated platforms enabling employees to explore and apply AI tools in practical working environments.
Today, Walmart operates multiple agent-based AI systems, combining proprietary developments with external large language models. These systems are designed to support a wide range of functions, from improving productivity and streamlining workflows to enhancing operational decision-making across stores and supply chains.
Morris told Riad Beladi that the central objective is to remove friction from employees’ daily tasks while ensuring that AI becomes an accessible and practical tool for all associates, not just those in technical roles. “We want AI to be something every associate can use with confidence to improve how they work and serve customers,” she said.
While Walmart employs more than 35,000 people within its technology division, Morris stressed that the ambition goes far beyond IT teams. The long-term strategy is to embed AI capability across the entire organisation, ensuring that digital skills become a core part of the workforce.
The initiative reflects a wider shift across global retail, where artificial intelligence is increasingly seen as a foundational skill rather than an optional tool. For Walmart, the focus is on preparing employees for a future in which human roles and AI systems operate more closely together to meet evolving customer expectations.
As competition intensifies across the retail sector, Walmart’s approach signals a decisive move towards a fully AI-enabled workforce, positioning the company at the forefront of technological transformation in global grocery retail.