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Walmart Associates Thrive with AI Training
28 Oct
Summary
- OpenAI training increased associate confidence by 27%.
- Surveyed 1.7 million associates, 84% of frontline staff confident.
- Associates show more eagerness for AI than national average.
Walmart's recent internal survey, which garnered 1.7 million responses from its workforce, highlights a substantial increase in associate confidence with AI tools. Associates who completed OpenAI training reported a 27% rise in their self-assurance.
Across the company, 84% of U.S. frontline associates expressed confidence in using digital tools, while 77% of office-based associates are enthusiastic about AI's potential to enhance their roles. This internal sentiment contrasts with a national August 2026 Pew Research Center poll, where a majority of U.S. adults felt more worried than enthusiastic about AI.
Walmart offers no-cost AI learning and certification pathways in collaboration with OpenAI and Google, aiming to equip its over 2 million associates with practical AI skills. Maren Waggoner, chief people officer for associate experience and digital, noted that associates are actively applying their training and certificates in daily tasks.
Long-term associates, like Darlene Lane, who has been with the company for 43 years, have found the training instrumental in overcoming initial apprehension. The company also highlighted examples of associates developing AI tools for specific job functions, such as identifying supply chain disruptions and summarizing handwritten notes.
