Walmart Investors Reject AI Workforce Report for 1.6 Million U.S. Employees
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 4
Walmart Investors Reject AI Workforce Report for 1.6 Million U.S. Employees
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 4
Summary
Preliminary votes at Walmart’s annual meeting defeated a shareholder proposal that sought a report on how AI affects worker well-being, and investors also rejected a separate immigration-policy review.
Ava Williams, an overnight worker in Spokane, said AI-driven performance standards are causing injuries, burnout and skipped safety checks, while Walmart said its AI approach emphasizes responsible use and human judgment.
Walmart is accelerating automation as it pushes faster e-commerce delivery: more than 60% of stores now receive freight from automated distribution centers, and over 50% of e-commerce fulfillment volume is automated.
Those investments are tied to growth and cost cuts—fast-delivery sales rose more than 50% in the first quarter, same-day and next-day fulfillment-center units jumped 150%, and shipping costs have been falling by about 30% for several quarters.
On immigration, Walmart told investors visa sponsorships make up only a small share of its U.S. workforce and said it has not seen significant operational or supply-chain disruption from Trump administration policy changes.