The world’s largest retailer is bracing for a massive transformation — one that won’t just change how people shop, but how millions of its employees work.
Walmart’s CEO, Doug McMillon, has made it clear that artificial intelligence is no longer a side project.
It’s becoming the engine that will power the future of the company — and reshape every single role across its 2.1 million-strong workforce.
A Candid Warning from the Top
Speaking at a Harvard Business Review event on Monday, McMillon didn’t mince words.
He said Walmart is “going on the offense” with AI, preparing for sweeping changes that will touch everyone from store managers and warehouse staff to executives and cashiers.
“Every job we’ve got is going to change in some way,” he explained.
“Whether it’s getting the shopping carts off the parking lot or the way our technologists work — even leadership roles will evolve.”
For America’s largest private employer, this was one of the bluntest acknowledgments yet that the AI revolution isn’t just coming for white-collar jobs — it’s about to rewrite what work looks like on the retail frontlines.
Partnering with OpenAI to Bring Tech to the Checkout Aisle
Walmart’s warning comes on the heels of a major partnership with Sam Altman’s OpenAI.
Just weeks ago, the retailer unveiled a new feature allowing customers to shop directly through ChatGPT — blending convenience with cutting-edge technology.
The company says this move isn’t about cutting jobs but transforming them.
“We want to equip everyone to make the most of the new tools — learn, adapt, add value, drive growth — and still be a really large employer years from now,” McMillon said.
AI Already at Work Behind the Scenes
In truth, Walmart has been building up to this for years.
The company already relies on predictive analytics to restock shelves, uses algorithms to manage delivery routes, and now employs ChatGPT-style tools to guide online shoppers.
And instead of scaling back on its workforce, Walmart is investing heavily in training. Through its Walmart Academies — the world’s largest private training program — employees are being introduced to digital and AI-driven skills.
In 2023 alone, the company recorded 5.5 million hours of training.
Learning to Work with AI, Not Against It
McMillon said the goal isn’t to replace people but to help them thrive alongside new technology.
“We need to be the best in the world at application,” he said, adding that Walmart recently created a new executive role focused on AI oversight.
That post went to Daniel Danker, now executive vice president of AI acceleration, product, and design.
Employees are also being encouraged to experiment directly with AI tools like ChatGPT.
Walmart’s chief people officer, Donna Morris, called it “a customized training program centered around AI,” designed to help both at work and in personal life.
“Through Walmart Academy,” Morris explained, “associates will have free access to a tailored version of this certification.
It’s meant to prepare them for an increasingly digital world.”
A Revolution Within 36 Months
The timeline for change isn’t far off. During an internal conference earlier this fall, McMillon said it’s “very clear that AI is going to change literally every job.”
Sitting alongside OpenAI’s chief economist Ronnie Chatterji, he predicted that the biggest shifts would be visible within 18 to 36 months.
Chatterji echoed that view, saying Americans will “see a lot more impact” across the job market in that same window.
No Layoff Plans, But Major Role Changes Ahead
Despite the warnings, Walmart executives insist they’re not preparing for mass layoffs like those seen at Amazon or Target this year.
Instead, McMillon and Walmart US president John Furner both suggested the company’s headcount would likely remain steady — even as operations evolve.
“When we look out two, three, five years,” Furner said at a Utah business summit, “I think we’ll have roughly the same number of people we have today — just doing different kinds of work.”
The Rise of New AI-Powered Roles
Walmart says new types of jobs are already emerging.
Among them are “agent builders” — teams dedicated to creating AI assistants for internal operations — and technicians who maintain automated systems.
These roles, executives say, show that AI isn’t just removing work; it’s creating it in new forms.
“AI is just starting to ripple through the job market,” Chatterji said.
“In 18 to 36 months, you’re going to see a lot more impact.”
The Public’s Growing Anxiety About AI
Still, many Americans remain uneasy. A Reuters/Ipsos poll from August found that 71 percent of respondents fear AI will permanently put too many people out of work.
Another survey by CBS News and YouGov revealed that nearly half of Americans expect AI to reduce jobs in the next decade, while fewer than one in four believe it will create more.
Those fears are fueled by high-profile layoffs at major companies.
Amazon cut 14,000 corporate jobs this fall, and Target reduced its staff by 1,800 — both citing efficiency gains from automation.
Adapting to a New Definition of Work
Walmart’s leaders say they’re determined to chart a different path.
The real challenge, McMillon believes, isn’t job loss — it’s learning to keep up with technology that evolves faster than traditional career paths.
Fidji Simo, chief executive of applications at OpenAI, said their collaboration with Walmart aims to “help companies operate more efficiently, give anyone the power to turn their ideas into income, and create jobs that don’t even exist today.”
Still, she admits the transition won’t be smooth. “Everyone will have to learn how to work in new ways,” Simo said.
Looking Ahead: A Test of Leadership
For McMillon, this shift represents both a risk and an opportunity — a test of whether Walmart can lead an AI-driven transformation without losing the human side of its workforce.
“What we want to do,” he said, “is equip everybody to make the most of the new tools, learn, adapt, add value, drive growth — and still be a really large employer years from now.”
As AI continues to push deeper into every corner of business, Walmart’s experiment could become the blueprint for how millions of workers across America navigate the next great wave of workplace change.