Walmart CEO Doug McMillon has warned that artificial intelligence is poised to transform every job in the workforce, emphasizing the urgent need for employees to adapt. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, McMillon stated, “It's very clear that AI is going to change literally every job,” adding that he can’t think of a single role that won’t be affected. As AI tools become more embedded across industries, McMillon said Walmart plans to freeze its global workforce of 2.1 million employees for the next three years while still aiming for revenue growth through increased AI adoption. The company is rolling out AI-powered chatbots and automation tools to handle tasks in customer service, supply chain management, and internal operations—areas that are likely to see the earliest impact. McMillon acknowledged that even frontline roles in stores and warehouses will eventually involve more AI integration. However, he stressed that human workers remain essential, especially for customer-facing roles. “Until we're serving humanoid robots and they have the ability to spend money, we're serving people,” he said, highlighting Walmart’s continued commitment to placing people in front of people. To stay relevant, McMillon advises workers to “get plussed up”—a phrase he uses to describe the proactive adoption of AI tools to enhance performance. “How can I lean in the role that I have, regardless what that role is, to adopt new tools, leverage them and make things better than they would've otherwise been?” he asked in a separate interview with the Associated Press. This mindset is increasingly valued by employers. According to a LinkedIn blog post from February 2024, recruiters are now prioritizing candidates who demonstrate adaptability and a willingness to embrace change. A September 2023 survey by BetterUp and Stanford University found that 40% of U.S. desk workers reported dealing with AI-generated “workslop”—tasks produced by AI that appear productive but often require significant human correction. Despite AI’s growing capabilities, human strengths like communication, empathy, and critical thinking remain irreplaceable, according to Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman. “Those skills are important today. I think they'll be just as important, if not more important, in the future,” he told CNBC. McMillon agrees, pointing to Walmart store managers as a prime example of the ideal hybrid worker—someone who combines technical knowledge of AI-driven tools with strong interpersonal skills. These managers must coordinate teams, engage customers, and interpret data from AI systems, making them crucial to operations. Ultimately, McMillon believes that the most valuable employees will be those who can blend human insight with technological fluency. “The skills that we have as human beings are valuable,” he said. “They always have been, and that’ll be even more true in the future.”