Walmart sees a future of more automation less workers

For example, customer service tasks in call centers and through online chat functions will become more AI dependent soon and other tasks not, McMillon said.

Take humanoid robot workers. Companies have recently pitched robot workers to Walmart, McMillon said on stage. Yet “until we’re serving humanoid robots and they have the ability to spend money, we’re serving people,” he said. “We are going to put people in front of people.” 

I mean this is a nice sentiment, But Walmart isn’t exactly well known for its support of its own workforce. And when I go I feel like it’s impossible to find anyone to help you. “Just download the app Sir”. I don’t want to have to download an app to know where to find Elmers glue at 11PM at night.

Elsewhere in the corporate world, top executives are pushing their companies to wholeheartedly embrace AI—and quickly. Some have created internal “heat maps” to decipher which roles or tasks could be automated by AI. Others have pushed staffers to propose new projects.

I know AI is carrying the title here, but automation has a long history of taking jobs..

_{Quote Citation: Sarah Nassauer and Chip Cutter, “Walmart CEO Issues Wake-Up Call: ‘AI Is Going to Change Literally Every Job’ - WSJ”, Sept. 26, 2025 at 9:00 pm ET, https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/walmart-ceo-doug-mcmillon-ai-job-losses-dbaca3aa}