Walmart Vows to Use AI Responsibly in New Public Pledge

Retail behemoth Walmart has announced a new set of principles to guide it as it pushes artificial intelligence into its business operations. The Walmart Responsible AI Pledge makes six key commitments that it says will put guardrails on how the company uses the emerging tech in its business.

“AI is embedded across our business, from how we personalize and improve experiences for our customers, members and associates to how we get inventory through our supply chain and more,” Walmart said in a statement. 

“As the pace of innovation increases and more sophisticated AI models are integrated into our business, it’s important those we serve feel confident and comfortable with the ways we use technology.”

The six principles are transparency, security, privacy, fairness, accountability and customer-centricity.

Walmart’s promise comes at a time when both interest and worries over AI is at a fever pitch, as the technology makes its way into practically every nook and cranny of modern life. The retailer believes that by setting out clear principles now, it can reassure customers and workers about how Walmart uses the technology today and in the future. 

Walmart also pledged it will regularly check its AI for biases and safety issues “that have the potential to affect the lives of our customers, members and associates.”