This may come as a surprise, but one of the world’s biggest winners of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution isn’t actually a technology firm — it’s Walmart (WMT), the big-box discount retailer.
Thanks to its early and aggressive bets on AI beginning in the late 2010s, Walmart has transformed its operations, optimized its supply chain, and cut delivery times to as little as 30 minutes while boosting employee productivity.
AI has also helped fuel double-digit share price gains, pushing Walmart’s valuation above $1 trillion — the first retailer ever to reach that milestone. In fact, on January 9, 2026, Walmart joined the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 index as a reflection of its digital transformation, triggering an estimated $19 billion in passive capital inflows and sending shares to new highs.
But these advancements are coming at a human cost. In May 2026, Walmart announced that, as part of a plan to streamline its global operations, it would lay off or relocate about 1,000 corporate workers.
While a company spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that these changes were “related to organizational structure and alignment, not handing over more tasks to artificial intelligence,” Walmart’s employees say that the company’s AI-fueled initiatives have resulted in a race to meet “impossible deadlines,” raising concerns over workplace safety and product quality.
However, in June, WMT’s investors rejected a shareholder proposal that would have reported on how its use of AI is affecting the well-being of its workforce. Just 4.95% of the votes supported the proposal, and shareholders concluded that Walmart already discloses relevant workplace safety information in its regular reports.
So, what does Walmart’s workforce look like now, and what do the company’s AI ambitions mean for the people inside its stores, warehouses, and corporate offices?
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How many employees does Walmart have in 2026?
According to Walmart’s 2026 Annual Report, the company employs 1.6 million associates in the United States, and another half a million around the world, for a total of 2.1 million employees — that’s roughly the population of New Mexico. This makes Walmart the world’s largest private employer.
92% of Walmart’s workforce is hourly, and 68% are full-time. “Our workforce strategy reflects our commitment to creating a future-ready workforce, supporting associate growth, and fostering a culture where associates can thrive,” the report said.
In 2015, roughly 10 years ago, Walmart employed slightly more associates worldwide—2.3 million to be exact. In that year, the company announced a $2.7 billion investment in its US workforce, raising its entry-level hourly wage to $9 per hour, about $1.75 above the national minimum wage.
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Today, entry-level Walmart associates make roughly $14 per hour in 2026 — that’s a 55% wage increase in a little over a decade.
As AI reshapes how Walmart employees work, the company says it is “intentionally helping associates build the skills and confidence to grow alongside these changes,” according to Walmart’s chief people officer, Donna Morris. This ranges from large-scale upskilling programs to in-store AI translation tools, augmented reality (AR) programs, and Element, the company’s proprietary machine learning platform.
What do Walmart employees do?
You may be familiar with Walmart’s in-store employees, the friendly blue apron-wearing store associates. Their duties range from greeting customers to ringing up purchases, stocking shelves, and fulfilling online orders.
Behind the scenes, Walmart also employs tens of thousands of workers in its warehouses, supply chain, and transportation divisions. Drivers operate delivery trucks, while other workers in its distribution centers operate forklifts and pack orders for shipment.
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Walmart’s tech and e-commerce division employs software engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity specialists, and product designers.
The company also employs thousands of people in its corporate and home office divisions. These workers are responsible for negotiating contracts with suppliers, selecting products for its website, managing Walmart’s digital platforms as well as its marketing and PR campaigns, overseeing the company’s budget and payroll, and handling its HR and legal issues.
Where are Walmart’s employees located?
Walmart’s global headquarters is in Bentonville, Arkansas, the home of company founder Sam Walton and his family.
In 2025, the company opened a brand-new campus on a 400-acre site adjacent to its 1971 headquarters. The new campus features buildings constructed with repurposed timber and open floor plans designed to encourage collaboration and attract top tech talent.
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Today, Walmart operates more than 10,000 stores and numerous distribution facilities across 19 countries, giving it one of the largest retail footprints in the world.
Has Walmart had layoffs recently?
In May 2026, roughly 1,000 Walmart workers were laid off or relocated to corporate hubs in Bentonville and Northern California.
Walmart also trimmed approximately 1,500 corporate jobs in May 2025 and 381 positions from its Sunnyvale, California, office in the summer of 2025. These positions were part of its global technology divisions.
While these reductions affected a relatively small portion of Walmart’s 2.1 million-strong workforce, they do illustrate how, as AI becomes more deeply embedded throughout its business, Walmart’s human footprint is being reshaped.