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By Webb Wright | September 30, 2025 at 1:01 p.m. PT | Source: ZDNET

In a stark declaration that underscores the sweeping impact of artificial intelligence, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon stated last week that AI is set to "change literally every job" within the retail giant and beyond. Speaking at a conference in Bentonville, Arkansas, McMillon's words carry extraordinary weight: Walmart employs over two million people globally, making it the world's largest private employer. His vision paints a future where AI's influence permeates every rung of the corporate ladder, from the warehouse floor to the C-suite.

While predictions about AI's job market disruption often center on white-collar roles — particularly software engineering — McMillon’s assessment is notably more democratic. "It's very clear that AI is going to change literally every job," he asserted, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This perspective shifts the narrative away from the tech industry's talent wars and inflated AI specialist salaries, focusing instead on the millions of hourly workers, cashiers, and logistics personnel who form the backbone of Walmart's operations. The implication is profound: the AI revolution won't be confined to Silicon Valley; it will resonate in every aisle of every supercenter.

"We've got to create the opportunity for everybody to make it to the other side," McMillon emphasized, framing AI not as an impending wave of layoffs but as a societal chasm requiring collective navigation.

This vision of transformation over wholesale replacement aligns with emerging labor data. A recent Indeed report indicates AI is altering specific job requirements far more frequently than it eliminates positions entirely. Similarly, an executive survey shared exclusively with ZDNET found that only 11% of leaders anticipate significant workforce reductions due to AI, while a staggering 84% expect it to fundamentally reshape existing roles. Research from OpenAI further bolsters this view, showing frontier AI models performing competitively with humans on tasks contributing significantly to US GDP.

The responsibility for managing this transition, McMillon suggests, lies heavily with employers — a stance amplified by the current regulatory vacuum. The Trump administration's AI Action Plan, released earlier this summer, promotes upskilling initiatives but offers no concrete protections for workers displaced by automation. In this landscape, corporate commitment to retraining becomes critical. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy echoed this sentiment in recent comments to CNBC, acknowledging AI will lead to "fewer people doing some of the jobs" while simultaneously creating new opportunities.

The challenge, then, isn't merely technological adoption; it's building bridges across the AI divide. For Walmart, this means investing in programs that equip associates with skills to leverage AI tools — whether that's optimizing inventory management, personalizing customer interactions, or streamlining supply chains. The alternative — a future where AI exacerbates inequality by leaving low-wage workers behind — is a risk McMillon’s rhetoric implicitly acknowledges. As AI reshapes "literally every job," the true measure of success won't be efficiency gains alone, but whether the workforce emerges more empowered on the other side of the chasm.