Walmart CEO Doug McMillon sounded an alarm on artificial intelligence. America’s biggest private employer has sent a clear message that artificial intelligence is coming for every single job at Walmart, from the checkout lane to the C-suite.
While speaking at a Harvard Business Review event, McMillon said Walmart is “going on the offense with AI.” The CEO is committed to integrating machine learning and automation into every aspect of the business.
“Every job we’ve got is going to change in some way, whether it’s getting shopping carts off the parking lot, how our technologists work, or the way leadership roles evolve,” McMillon explained.
Until now, Walmart has quietly been layering artificial intelligence into its global operations for years. Algorithms already predict inventory needs, optimize delivery routes, and personalize online shopping experiences.
Walmart employees are being encouraged to experiment with generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, to improve both efficiency and creativity on the job, according to a report by Lawyer Monthly.
“We need to be the best in the world at application,” McMillon said, noting the company’s creation of a new AI oversight division, led by Daniel Danker, Executive Vice President of AI Acceleration.
McMillon says that despite fears that AI will replace humans in the workforce, that won’t happen. He asserts that AI will only change and enhance employees, not replace them. The president of Walmart in the United States agreed.
“When we look out two to five years, we’ll have roughly the same number of people we have today,” said John Furner, President of Walmart U.S. “The work itself is just going to change.”
Even though assurances are being made by employers and CEOs, people are still primarily concerned about AI’s role in the world. Accoridng to surveys, a significant majority of Americans worry AI could permanently eliminate large numbers of positions, while many expect job losses to increase over the next decade.
What do you think? Will AI change humans’ roles in society or eliminate them? Let us know in the comments!