Walmart offers free AI training to all 1.6M US workers through Google partnership

Walmart announced that its 1.6 million US and Canadian workers will get free access to an eight-hour Google AI Professional Certification course covering AI fundamentals, research, app building, and communication. Both frontline and corporate staff are included. The move contrasts with companies using AI as justification for job cuts. Walmart joins Verizon, Colgate-Palmolive, and Deloitte in offering the Google credential. Walmart's chief people officer said it's on employers to bridge the AI skills gap, citing data showing just 5% of workers are AI fluent.

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