Walmart AI Training Boosts Employee Confidence by 27% Among 2.1 Million Associates

Walmart Survey Reveals Impact of AI Training on Employee Confidence

Walmart conducted its first-ever AI survey in June 2026, drawing responses from 1.7 million associates out of its 2.1 million workforce1

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. The results, shared by Maren Waggoner, Walmart Chief People Officer for Associate Experience and Digital at the 2026 CNBC Workforce Executive Council Summit in New York City, demonstrate that workers who complete AI training report substantially higher confidence levels with the technology1

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. Associates who went through OpenAI training specifically cited a 27% confidence gain using AI, highlighting the tangible impact of structured learning programs1

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High Confidence Levels Among Office and Frontline Workers

The survey findings reveal that 77% of Walmart's office-based associates said they feel pretty confident in using AI tools, while 84% of U.S. frontline associates expressed confidence using digital tools1

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. This confidence stems from associates using AI-powered tools in their day-to-day roles, supported by certificates and AI training programs1

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. Waggoner emphasized that "providing the tools, providing the training; they feel more confident," underscoring the direct correlation between access to AI learning and certification pathways and boosting confidence with technology1

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Partnership with OpenAI and Google for Free AI Certification Programs

Over the last 13 months, Walmart has partnered with both Google and OpenAI around learning and AI certification programs for associates at no cost1

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. These partnerships provide more than 2 million associates access to AI learning and certification pathways, helping them apply AI in practical ways within their roles2

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. Darlene Lane, a learning and development manager and 43-year Walmart associate, became the first associate to complete the OpenAI certification program2

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. "I've never been the most technical person, and I was nervous when I first heard about using AI at work," Lane said. "The training helped me go from being afraid to being confident using it every day"2

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Walmart Associates More Enthusiastic Than National Average

Walmart's approach to AI training appears to be bucking larger national trends around AI anxiety. While about 52% of U.S. adults say they are more concerned than excited about AI according to an August 2026 Pew Research Center poll, Walmart associates report greater comfort and excitement with the technology1

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. The survey showed 77% of office-based associates feel enthusiastic about how AI could make their jobs better2

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. Donna Morris, Walmart's chief people officer, noted that "what we're learning is simple: training and experience matters," with associates showing similar levels of AI excitement regardless of tenure2

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Associates Building Custom AI Tools for Daily Operations

Beyond using existing AI tools, associates are creating their own AI agent solutions to address specific workplace challenges. Waggoner highlighted a store manager in Mexico who built his own AI agent to analyze reports and drive fresh produce sales, resulting in significantly improved performance1

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. "He's using the tool, but he's still running the store," Waggoner said. "The store manager job is still there. He's using the tools and technology to drive his business. And by the way, his fresh sales are through the roof"1

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. Similarly, a transportation associate in Canada built an agent to help teams identify potential supply chain disruptions, while an Idaho store leader created an app that converts handwritten notes into organized summaries and action items2

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Automation Creating Quality Assurance Roles Rather Than Job Losses

While many workers across the economy express fear about AI replacing their jobs, Walmart's experience tells a different story. Waggoner explained that the company uses automation to "reduce some of that friction and use robotics to help, and then really focus the work on human judgement"1

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. At Walmart's innovation lab in Dallas, Texas, automated efforts to reduce physical tasks previously performed by humans have created more quality assurance-type roles rather than broader job losses1

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. On store front lines, Walmart found that customers "actually like talking to a human at checkout," allowing associates using AI to focus their efforts on solving customer challenges rather than being replaced1

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. This people-led, tech-powered approach represents perhaps the biggest technological transformation in Walmart's 64-year history1

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