Understand Your Rights. Solve Your Legal Problems
America’s biggest private employer has sounded the alarm and the message is clear: artificial intelligence is coming for every job, from the checkout lane to the C-suite.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told business leaders this week that AI will redefine the roles of all 2.1 million Walmart employees, transforming how the retail giant operates from top to bottom.
Speaking at a Harvard Business Review event, McMillon said Walmart is “going on the offense with AI,” determined to integrate machine learning and automation into every corner of its 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.
The announcement marks one of the bluntest acknowledgments yet from corporate America that the AI revolution is not just about office work, it’s about the entire workforce.
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.
In September, the company deepened its partnership with OpenAI, introducing a ChatGPT-powered shopping assistant that lets customers browse and buy products through natural conversation.
To prepare its workforce, Walmart is investing heavily in upskilling.
Its Walmart Academies, which logged over 5.5 million hours of training in 2023, now feature AI-specific programs — giving associates access to the largest private education initiative in the world.
Employees are being encouraged to experiment with generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, to improve both efficiency and creativity on the job.
“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.
Despite fears of mass layoffs, Walmart executives maintain that the AI shift will change work — not eliminate it.
“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.”
Public concern over AI’s effect on jobs is rising rapidly.
Surveys indicate that 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.
These fears are grounded in real-world developments.
Companies including Amazon and Target have already reduced thousands of roles, citing efficiency gains from automation.
Walmart, by contrast, aims to avoid mass layoffs, instead focusing on retraining employees and evolving job responsibilities.
Still, the shift marks a historic turning point for the U.S. service economy: how can workers be protected when machines and increasingly sophisticated algorithms are taking over tasks traditionally performed by humans?
As artificial intelligence transforms the retail sector, a critical question emerges: what legal protections do employees have when their jobs are reshaped or replaced by machines?
Most U.S. labor laws were written decades ago, long before automation or generative AI existed.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) still define “work” and “supervision” in human terms.
That creates a legal blind spot when AI starts making scheduling, hiring, or even disciplinary decisions.
“We’re entering a phase where AI is being used to quantify and evaluate workers in the workplace, and we need to pay attention because that’s happening already now,” said Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa, a labor law expert at Emory University School of Law.
“The law hasn’t fully caught up to these tools, and questions of accountability and fairness are becoming increasingly urgent.”
If an employee loses hours or their job, because an AI system flags them as “inefficient,” who’s responsible? The employer? The software developer? Or the algorithm itself?
Currently, liability almost always falls on the employer, but experts warn this may soon change as AI takes on more “decision-making” power.
Walmart and other major employers are increasingly using AI-driven analytics to monitor productivity and behavior. While these systems promise efficiency, they raise serious questions about data privacy and consent.
Under U.S. law, companies generally can monitor employee activity on work devices, but when AI collects biometric or emotional data (such as facial expressions, voice tone, or stress indicators), it edges into gray legal territory.
Several states, including Illinois and California, are now considering AI transparency laws requiring companies to disclose how such data is collected and used.
Employees have the right to:
Request clarity on how AI tools are used in their evaluation or scheduling.
Challenge biased or incorrect AI decisions under anti-discrimination laws (e.g., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act).
Unionize or negotiate AI-related safeguards into their contracts, especially in states with strong labor protections.
“Workers should not assume that automation means they’re powerless,” Ajunwa added. “The law evolves — but only when people start asking the right questions.”
For Walmart, the rise of artificial intelligence isn’t simply about replacing human labor — it’s about redefining how people and technology work together.
The company’s leaders see AI not as a threat to jobs, but as a catalyst for a new kind of workplace — one built on adaptability, continuous learning, and digital fluency.
At its core, Walmart’s AI strategy reflects a broader transformation unfolding across the American economy.
Every sector from retail to healthcare to logistics is confronting the same question: how do we integrate machines that can think, predict, and decide, without losing the human value at the center of work?
For employees, that shift is both a challenge and an opportunity.
The workers who thrive in this new landscape will be those who learn to use AI as a partner, automating routine tasks while developing skills that rely on creativity, judgment, and empathy.
It’s also a moment to understand one’s legal and professional rights, as the pace of technological change often outstrips the speed of regulation.
In this context, Walmart’s approach is as much about culture as technology.
Its massive investment in AI training — through programs like Walmart Academy underscores an acknowledgment that human expertise still anchors the future of retail.
Even as algorithms forecast inventory and robots move pallets, the company’s success ultimately depends on people who can lead, interpret data ethically, and make complex decisions that AI cannot.
As CEO Doug McMillon stated in a recent interview:
“It’s very clear that AI is going to change literally every job. Maybe there’s a job in the world that AI won’t change, but I haven’t thought of it.”
This statement captures the essence of the human-AI hybrid workplace — a model in which technology amplifies human potential rather than replaces it.
For millions of American workers observing Walmart’s evolution, it offers a preview of the next decade of work: faster, smarter, and still fundamentally human.
1. How will AI change Walmart jobs?
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon says every job across the company’s 2.1 million-person workforce will change in some way. AI will assist with everything from restocking and logistics to scheduling and customer service — meaning roles will evolve, not necessarily disappear.
2. Will Walmart employees lose their jobs because of AI?
Walmart executives say they expect to keep roughly the same number of employees over the next several years. However, the type of work will shift as automation and AI tools handle more repetitive tasks, creating demand for new skills such as data monitoring and AI oversight.
3. What legal protections do workers have if AI replaces their job?
Under U.S. labor law, employers remain responsible for employment decisions — even if made by AI systems. Workers can challenge discriminatory or biased AI-driven decisions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and unions are beginning to negotiate AI-related clauses in contracts.
4. Can Walmart use AI to monitor employees?
Yes, but there are limits. Walmart and other large retailers can legally monitor productivity and performance on company systems, but states like California and Illinois are moving toward stricter rules requiring employers to disclose when AI is tracking workers’ movements, expressions, or voice data.
5. What is Walmart doing to help employees adapt to AI?
Through its Walmart Academies, the company offers millions of hours of training in digital literacy and AI tools. Employees can learn how to use ChatGPT and other generative AI systems to improve workflow, customer interaction, and data management.
6. What does the Walmart–OpenAI partnership mean for customers?
The partnership allows shoppers to use ChatGPT-powered assistants to find products, make purchases, and get personalized recommendations — representing a major shift in how customers interact with online retail platforms.
7. What should workers do to protect themselves as AI grows in the workplace?
Experts advise employees to:
Stay informed about how AI is used in their workplace.
Document any AI-related employment decisions that seem unfair.
Request transparency about performance data.
Seek legal advice if AI systems lead to discrimination or job loss.
8. How soon will AI start reshaping retail jobs?
McMillon and OpenAI’s chief economist, Ronnie Chatterji, both predict that major visible impacts will appear within 18 to 36 months, reshaping millions of U.S. retail and logistics jobs during that period.
