Walmart using AI to streamline organization – what will it mean for workers?

Walmart is using artificial intelligence to help streamline their product organization. That raises questions about how workers' jobs could change. NBC News’ Jacob Ward has more details.

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[pstarxxx]

Making workers at Walmart happy is not what walmart is about. Every current or former employee will read this and instantly shake their head in agreement.

[TheDerangedBlood]

I like how the Walmart guy tries to play down the fact the worker is on its way out the door to make way for robots.

[chrisaycock]

They won't terminate people they'll just wait for people to quit or find new work and not hire someone to replace them that way it's quiet.

[charlesmartin]

AI is transforming our current employees into our former employees.

[melissaaldosari]

He sadly doesn’t realize he is going to teach AI to make his job obsolete.😢

[lierx.agerate]

They said the employees are happier and proceeded to show the manager saying the employees are happier lol

[rocketdude]

Anything a retailer can do to cut costs they will do . I work in retail and cutting the labor is number one . Less people means more money for the CEO and shareholders.

[nimitjohri]

This seems to be an algorithm(s) "programmed" to track, sort and organize items. Don't understand how that is "Artificial intelligence" 🤔

[debbie]

I’d like to see AI bots terminate any Walmart shopper who leaves their carts in the adjacent parking spots, rather than walk 9’to the cart return area.

[oscarchavez]

I remember when they introduced this new technology to our phones through an app in 2021, with the intention of giving off a sense of sophistication by integrating AI, although in reality, there is no actual AI technology involved.

[debbie]

Artificial “intelligence” and Walmart employee”... Nah, I won’t joke, too easy a’ Target.. (no pun intended there ).

[ctcristo]

What makes this AI vs. just the plan early 2010s inventory management software? Seems like everyone wants to add an AI in front of what we have always been doing.

[livefreevinnie]

I use the Walmart App all the time when looking for something. However, there are some Walmart Stores that are not accurate when using the Walmart App.

[shawnfreeman]

I understand the distrust behind AI, but at the end of the day if no one can work no one can buy…everything will equal out one way or another.

[jjn]

The technologists don't realize that vast majority of the workforce cannot be suddenly repurposed with "higher skills" to different roles. Imo, AI is shrinking the future range of work that'll be suited for a world with <1 billion people.

[bgregg]

At my walmart there is rarely more than two cashiers & often only one. Soon they'll have us customers stocking their shelves for them too.

[celebrityrog]

It means lower wages and less employment for already low income right wingers who work there and still vote against their benefit.

[NicholleChristineEdwards]

The women of Walmart are so kind to me. Really a change in all who work there. Really nice set of Crewsmen & women.

[dioc]

Cosco been doing that for a decade .. they always had the inventory gun where eventually if a lot of customers buy that product it will show up on their data that that’s how many units they got left and should order more … it’s nothing new … Walmart just barely started using it and I know a lot of people who work at Walmart who tell me the computer is in accurate where they have to manually correct it every time .

[UTD]

I’m so sick and tired of people abusing the term AI, no its not AI, its just machine learning models for automation. AI is completely different thing and there is no real AI yet.