TLDRs;
- Walmart is launching an AI skills program in 2025 with OpenAI to prepare its workforce for technological change.
- The program builds on Walmart’s existing skills-based hiring and training efforts, such as truck driver certifications.
- CEO Doug McMillon says AI will enhance jobs, not replace them, with faster changes expected in corporate roles.
- The initiative reflects Walmart’s broader strategy to fill workforce gaps and adapt to demographic and economic shifts.
Walmart is preparing to launch a new AI skills program in 2025 through a collaboration with OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
The initiative marks a major step by the world’s largest retailer to prepare its 2.1 million global employees for the profound changes artificial intelligence is bringing to the workplace.
The announcement, made on Thursday, comes as Walmart expands its so-called ‘Skills-First Workforce Initiative,’ an effort focused on hiring and training based on capability rather than college degrees. By teaming up with OpenAI, Walmart hopes to ensure that employees at all levels, from warehouse staff to corporate offices, can adapt to new AI-powered tools that are reshaping industries across the United States.
Building Skills, Not Just Filling Jobs
In recent years, Walmart has already invested heavily in training programs to fill critical roles such as truck drivers and maintenance technicians, where shortages have grown as older workers retire.
The new AI program aims to extend that model, equipping associates with the digital literacy needed to work alongside advanced technologies.
CEO Doug McMillon described the shift as “plussing up” existing jobs rather than replacing them.
“Every role will change in some way,” McMillon said. “The opportunity is to adopt new tools that make the work better and more rewarding.”
Gradual Change for Frontline Workers
While AI adoption in corporate offices is expected to move quickly, Walmart leaders anticipate more gradual transitions in its stores and supply chains.
For the company’s 200,000 associates who handle online order picking and logistics, for example, AI may assist with efficiency and task management but will not eliminate the need for human interaction in serving customers.
McMillon stressed that Walmart will lead the process with transparency, ensuring workers understand how AI is being implemented and what it means for their future roles.
“We want our associates to know what we’re learning and why we’re doing it,” he said.
A Broader Labor Market Strategy
Walmart’s push comes at a critical time for the U.S. labor market, where workforce shortages, immigration shifts, and demographic changes are converging with rapid technological disruption.
By focusing on skills over degrees, Walmart hopes not only to strengthen its own workforce but also to set an example for other employers navigating the same challenges.
McMillon underscored that the program is about growth as much as adaptation.
“The change happening in the world is inevitable. Our choice is to lean in, learn, and help lead so that outcomes are better for everyone involved,” he explained.
Looking Ahead
The AI skills initiative is expected to roll out in phases beginning in 2025, with pilot programs targeting office-based employees before expanding to other parts of the organization.
Walmart believes this approach will provide workers with the flexibility to adapt gradually while ensuring the company remains competitive in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.
