CEO’s Warning

Walmart’s CEO warned about AI reshaping jobs while announcing plans to keep its global workforce flat over the next three years.

Context

Artificial intelligence has become a top priority for corporate leaders across industries. A 2025 survey by the Thomson Reuters Institute found that 62% of business executives view AI as central to their business strategy, with 85% believing it will transform their companies over the next five years. Workers have grown concerned about the pace at which AI could replace human employees, leading to tension between technological advancement and job security.

AI Future

During a workforce conference last week at Walmart’s Arkansas headquarters, CEO Doug McMillon made one of the most direct statements yet from a major corporate leader about AI’s impact on employment.

McMillon told attendees that AI would reshape every position at the company, adding that he could not think of a single job that would remain unchanged. Walmart’s chief people officer confirmed that while total headcount would remain steady at 2.1M people, the mix of jobs would change significantly, though she acknowledged that Walmart has not yet determined what the future workforce composition will look like.

Changes Underway

Walmart has already integrated AI into various operations, including automated warehouse systems that have led to some job eliminations. The company built AI chatbots to assist customers, suppliers, and workers with inquiries, with one tool receiving 3M queries daily from over 900,000 weekly users. Walmart hired a former Instacart executive in July to oversee these AI initiatives and work with leadership to determine how the workforce should evolve.

New Roles

While some positions will disappear, Walmart has created new roles focused on AI development. The company established an “agent builder” position for employees who create AI tools, and it plans to expand hiring in areas like home delivery, bakery departments, maintenance, and truck driving. McMillon announced at the conference that Walmart’s goal was “to create the opportunity for everybody to make it to the other side,” emphasizing that Walmart plans to help workers adapt through training programs as job requirements change.