Walmart rolls out new generative AI tool for US corporate associates

When envisioning a tech-enabled assistant, Gen X and elder millennials may picture Rosey from The Jetsons. Sadly, robotic housekeepers aren’t real—but Walmart’s new generative AI tool aims to help corporate associates do their jobs better.

The tool, called My Assistant, officially launched August 30. Walmart’s EVP and Chief People Officer Donna Morris recently told HR Brew what it will mean for employees and, in the future, HR professionals.

What it is. My Assistant is a desktop and mobile app available to Walmart’s US corporate associates, according to a LinkedIn post announcing its availability. The tool, powered by generative AI and developed by Walmart, is meant to help employees do some aspects of their jobs, like drafting and summarizing documents or cutting repetitive tasks.

Morris was quick to point out that My Assistant won’t replace any workers. “This has everything to do with making our associates productive, and enhancing the quality of work that they are doing,” Morris explained to HR Brew. “We continue to see opportunities for us to really leverage [generative] AI as it relates to things like onboarding associates, finding benefit information, making connections, supporting their growth and development, which today can be very cumbersome.”

Strategic rollout. My Assistant didn’t come to be overnight, Morris explained. The technology was in the works for some time, and was designed to be as user-friendly as possible. “We’re trying to build consumer-grade so that you don’t really need very much training,” she explained.

Employees have slowly been introduced to AI through a multi-step process.

Each associate participated in a 30-minute training to learn the difference between AI and generative AI. Then, they had the opportunity to experiment with the tech before actually using it as part of their day-to-day job. “We built out some internal guardrails that allowed people to get in and play easily,” Cheryl Ainoa, VP of new businesses and emerging tech at Walmart, told HR Brew. People in leadership positions got a second, longer training to learn to apply the new technology in their jobs as managers.

Future HR. Morris said that generative AI tools have the potential to streamline some tedious HR processes in the future. “The true opportunity for the people function is to make sure that the organization is designed to deliver on the strategy that you have the right people, you have the right rewards, that you’re focused on growth and development,” she said. “What we’re finding in the future is improved ways of working for our associates and for the people team as well.”