Walmart leads, also in the way it approaches AI

Today’s opening keynote at hashtag#KMWorld2025 set the tone for another insightful day.

Seema Swamy, Ph.D., from Walmart delivered a thought-provoking session on Enterprise Intelligence: Human & AI Optimization & Action, sharing perspectives that resonate far beyond the retail world.

Key takeaways we should all pay attention to:

1. The gap is growing.

 While many organizations are starting to adopt AI, those who are truly leading are leading hard. The distance between early movers and everyone else is accelerating fast — strategically, culturally, and operationally.

2. Human AI collaboration must remain human-led.

 We, the humans, carry the responsibility for:

• Training AI in meaningful ways,

• Explaining its outcomes,

• Ensuring responsible and sustainable use.

 This leadership cannot be delegated to the machine.

3. We must guard against emotional and cognitive atrophy.

 AI can make life easier, but it can also make us passive. Staying curious, reasoning deeply, and maintaining emotional judgment are essential human strengths in the age of automation.

4. AI is not only about efficiency.

 It also elevates the experience: personalization, relevance, and smoother journeys. AI’s real value shines when it supports people, not only processes.

5. Yes, the hype exists.

 Expectations need calibration. Real impact comes from grounded strategy, not buzzwords.

A thought to carry forward:

The real advantage is not AI itself but the organizations mature enough to shape it with purpose, discipline, and human intelligence.