Walmart says workers who completed OpenAI training reported a 27% gain in confidence using AI. The retailer has partnered with OpenAI and Google to offer employees free AI learning and certification programmes.
Walmart surveyed its 2.1 million associates in June about their experience with AI, receiving more than 1.7 million responses. Its chief people officer for associate experience and digital, Maren Waggoner, presented the findings at a CNBC workforce summit.
Over the past 13 months, Walmart has partnered with Google and OpenAI on free learning and AI certification programmes for employees. In the survey, 77% of office-based associates said they were excited about AI’s potential to improve their work.
Waggoner also described a store manager in Mexico who built an AI agent to analyse reports and help increase fresh produce sales. For businesses introducing AI, that offers an example of employee-led adoption, but the reported confidence gains do not establish higher productivity.
Free training alongside workplace tools offers a practical approach for companies trying to increase employee adoption of AI.
The store manager’s AI agent suggests useful applications can emerge from employees who understand local operating problems.
Whether greater confidence produces lasting improvements in productivity or business performance remains unproven.
Written automatically by the Made in 10 Newsroom from the source above.
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