Walmart shareholders voted against an investor proposal that sought a report on how the company's use of artificial intelligence and automation affects employee well-being. The vote took place during the retailer's annual shareholders' meeting, according to voting results released by Walmart.
Proposal Details
The proposal, filed by the investor group United for Respect, asked Walmart to disclose how it measures the impact of advanced technologies on jobs, pay, training, and equity. This was Walmart's first annual meeting since John Furner succeeded Doug McMillon as chief executive officer.
Walmart's AI Strategy
In its proxy statement, Walmart highlighted AI as a major force shaping retail. The company stated it is using new technologies to improve customer experiences, reduce friction, simplify decision-making, enhance supply chain processes, and provide associates with more tools.
Walmart is America's largest private employer, with approximately 1.6 million employees according to its 2026 annual report. The company has been increasing investments in AI and automation across its warehouses and stores. It has deployed tools such as self-healing inventory systems that monitor and replenish stock, and predictive demand forecasting.
More than 60 percent of Walmart's stores now receive freight from automated distribution centers, and over 50 percent of its e-commerce fulfillment volume is automated, the company reported late last year. Walmart is also using AI-driven training tools. Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said these investments have helped reduce shipping costs, which have consistently dropped by around 30 percent for several quarters.
Shareholder Recommendation
Walmart recommended that shareholders vote against the proposal. The world's largest retailer argued that additional reports are unnecessary because it already discloses information on workplace safety, workforce strategy, AI oversight, supply chain risk, and public policy engagement. As one of the world's largest employers, Walmart's policies have global influence across labor, technology, supply chains, and corporate governance.
Proposal 8: Report on Workplace Impact of AI and Automation
United for Respect submitted Proposal 8 for consideration at the 2026 annual shareholders' meeting. The proposal stated that the rapid deployment of AI and automation represents a significant workforce transformation. It noted that Walmart has publicly emphasized the scale of its AI strategy, with the chief technology officer highlighting an estimated $815 billion AI investment. Walmart has rolled out AI-enabled tools for hiring, scheduling, training, and task prioritization, including an OpenAI associate training program.
In October 2025, Walmart implemented a new algorithmic, performance-based system for determining annual pay increases for hourly employees, replacing the traditional tenure-based approach. This change represents a fundamental shift in compensation for a large portion of the workforce. Walmart has also articulated a Responsible AI Pledge committing to fairness, transparency, privacy, security, and human oversight.
The proposal argued that the pledge does not provide investors sufficient insight into how these commitments are operationalized, monitored, and enforced across a workforce of Walmart's size. It cited studies indicating that retail work contains a high proportion of tasks vulnerable to automation, raising risks related to job redesign, deskilling, wage inequality, and uneven access to training. Research also warns that algorithmic performance and pay systems can introduce bias, intensify work pace, result in unqualified hires, and reduce transparency.
The resolution requested that Walmart prepare a report on the principles guiding AI deployment, metrics for assessing workforce impacts such as job quality, compensation, training effectiveness, and equity, and the governance structures overseeing these systems. The report should be prepared at reasonable cost, omitting confidential and proprietary information, and made available to investors.
