"I think remembering who you are is important, but also being open to change. And when I think about what AI presents, the first thing that goes through my mind is the growth opportunity. I think right after generative AI captured everyone's attention, we were pretty balanced in terms of our mindset between offense and defense. And I think that shifted over time to being offensive in our orientation and growth oriented."
"For his part, Doug started working in Walmart as an hourly associate in 1984, becoming its CEO in 2014. We spoke with him before he announced his retirement, focusing on how Walmart built its digital business to take competitive, how it has dealt with issues of tariffs, talent and worker pay, and the ways it has adapted its supply chain to appeal not just to shareholders, but to all stakeholders. Here's our conversation."
Doug McMillon emphasized balancing a clear sense of Walmart's identity with openness to change. He framed AI as a major growth opportunity and said Walmart shifted from a balanced defensive-offensive stance to an offensive, growth-oriented approach. McMillon noted potential in agentic AI to change how people shop and save customers' time. The company invested in digital capabilities, navigated tariffs, and tackled workforce issues including talent and pay. Walmart adapted its supply chain to serve shareholders and broader stakeholders. McMillon began at Walmart as an hourly associate in 1984 and became CEO in 2014, and he plans to step down soon.
Read at Harvard Business Review
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