Walmart reports growing employee confidence in AI after training — CNBC

In the United States, Walmart said that training in working with artificial intelligence has helped its employees use the technology more confidently. In June, the retailer surveyed more than 2.1 million of its employees for the first time and received more than 1.7 million responses. Maren Waggoner, senior vice president and chief people officer for employee experience and digital solutions, presented the survey results at the CNBC Workforce Executive Council summit in New York.

Survey results

According to CNBC, 77% of Walmart office employees said they were fairly confident using AI tools. Among the company’s frontline workers in the United States, 84% said they were confident using digital tools.

Waggoner linked these figures to employees’ access to training programs, certifications, and digital tools. Over the past 13 months, Walmart has worked with Google and OpenAI on AI training and certification that employees could complete free of charge. According to her, employees who completed OpenAI training reported a 27% increase in confidence in using AI.

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AI in stores and logistics

Walmart said it uses artificial intelligence and robotics, including to automate processes at fulfillment centers. At the same time, the company intends to focus employees on tasks that require human judgment.

According to Waggoner, at Walmart’s innovation lab in Dallas, the automation of physical tasks did not lead to broader layoffs but instead contributed to the creation of quality-control-related positions. She also cited the example of a store manager in Mexico who created his own AI agent to analyze reports and increase sales of fresh products.

Waggoner added that shoppers in stores continue to value interactions with people at checkout, while employees can use AI to resolve customer inquiries.