Mo News Exclusive: How Walmart Is Navigating Trump’s Tariffs And AI Innovations
Walmart, the largest private employer in the world, does not want to be your “grandparents' Walmart anymore."
That’s what Walmart Executive Vice President Dan Bartlett told Mo News this week at the companies annual shareholders meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas. Walmart calls it “Associate’s Week” as they brings more than 5,000 Walmart employees from around the world to the company’s headquarters as the retail giant showcases its plans for the future.
THE WALMART PULL
90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart store. If Walmart were a country, its GDP-equivalent would almost put it in the G20. And, given its reach, ti has a pretty good gauge for consumer sentiment and the economy.
"If something is happening in America, there's a good chance it's happening at a Walmart or in a Walmart parking lot. We are really a mirror of society,” Bartlett said.
And with massive changes happening in technology and politics — especially around Trump’s tariffs — the company is trying to stay ahead.
WHERE WALMART IS HEADED
Bartlett said the company is doing everything it can to shield customers from tariff increases, but it says it is being forced to raise some prices. The company avoids weighing in on President Trump’s policies because Walmart serves both Republicans and Democrats, Bartlett said.
Some items, like bananas (Walmart’s top seller), are unavoidable imports. New 10% tariffs on those goods make it harder — but Bartlett says two-thirds of Walmart’s U.S. inventory is still made, grown, or assembled in America.
On technology, Walmart is preparing for a future where shopping becomes nearly automatic. The company is developing “Sparky” an AI assistant that will anticipate customer needs, manage household inventory, and even coordinate drone or in-home delivery.
It comes as the company’s aims to grow sales by 4% annually without significantly increasing its U.S. workforce — a trend toward e-commerce and automation that raises questions about the future of retail labor, which employs 1 in 10 American workers.
“If you look back in history, anytime there’s been massive innovation, there’s also been disruption. It’s the responsibility of both elected officials and companies to make sure employees are given the tools and opportunities to grow — through training, upskilling, and career development. We’re investing significant time and resources into that, including offering tuition-free education and other support,” Bartlett said, emphasizing Walmart anticipates having roughly the same number of employees in five years — but doing different jobs.
Listen to the full conversation with Dan Bartlett on the Mo News Premium Podcast — including reflections on AI, tariffs, global leadership, and the best career advice he ever got from his old boss, President George W. Bush. Join Mo News Premium today!
