Walmart deploys new employee AI tools
Walmart has kicked off a full-scale rollout of new AI tools to be used by its American workforce.
It is part of the big-box retailer’s investment in digital services and aims to streamline day-to-day tasks for 1.5 million associates.
Developed in-house by Walmart, the retailer says the AI-powered tools enable smarter shift planning, plus real-time translation across 44 languages.
According to Walmart, time spent on shift planning by store-level managers have so far been cut to just 30 minutes, from 90 minutes before.
The retailer's AI assistant, designed to help employees with training and answer workplace queries, has been upgraded and currently handles more than 3 million queries each day.
Employees can access step-by-step instructions and support using natural language prompts. There's also an augmented reality (AR) enabled inventory system, paired with RFID for faster merchandising in apparel.
“When you put intuitive, accessible technology into the hands of millions of associates, the impact isn’t incremental — it’s transformational,” Walmart SVP Transformation & Innovation Greg Cathey said.
