The retail giant has just announced that its 1.6 million workforce will be provided free AI training.
The training course covers core concepts as well as how AI connects to more niche topics like research, app building, and communication.
“We as big employers should be actively engaged in trying to equip our respective employees—in our case associates—to be prepared for a world that is AI enabled and automated or digitized,” Morris exclusively told Fortune ahead of the announcement, calling it “unfortunate” when companies use AI to replace workers instead of training them for what’s ahead.
“We want to make sure that we equip all of our associates with the best tools to allow them to be successful as Walmart continues to reshape as a people-led, tech-powered company,” Morris added. “But equally so that each of our associates has the ability to navigate their own careers.”
Instead of eliminating roles, Furner suggested AI will reshape them—and potentially make them more valuable.
“We’re extending people’s career, and those jobs pay better,” Furner said. “The attrition rates are really low.”
Still, Morris emphasized that change is inevitable—but humans will remain center stage.
“We all have to change. That’s an ongoing need, but we all have the opportunity to lean into what that new future is,” Morris said.
“I think new jobs will be created. I think new businesses will be created. I think the way we will do things will change. But that’s not to say that humans are going to be left behind.”
