Walmart is taking a dramatically different approach to artificial intelligence than most of its corporate peers. While businesses across industries continue to trim their workforces in the name of AI-driven efficiency, the retail giant has announced a sweeping initiative to train all 1.6 million of its U.S. and Canadian employees through a partnership with Google’s AI Professional Certification program — completely free of charge.
A Bold Bet on People Over Automation
The move comes at a time when the workforce landscape is shifting rapidly. Recent research reveals that only 40% of U.S. workers currently use AI on the job, and a mere 5% are considered “AI fluent.” That gap carries real financial consequences — employees who qualify as AI fluent are 4.5 times more likely to have received higher wages. Walmart appears to be betting that closing that gap internally will make its workforce stronger, not redundant.
Donna Morris, Walmart’s chief people officer, did not mince words about the industry’s prevailing attitude. She described it as “unfortunate” when companies lean on AI as justification for layoffs rather than as a tool for employee development. Her comments signal a deliberate cultural stance from Walmart’s leadership.
No Pink Slips Expected
Walmart’s new CEO John Furner reinforced that position, telling Fortune that the company expects to maintain roughly its current headcount despite the AI rollout. That is a notable commitment in a climate where corporate AI adoption has frequently been accompanied by significant job cuts.
For Walmart’s 1.6 million workers, the program represents more than just upskilling — it is a signal that their employer views them as central to its AI future, not a casualty of it.