Innovation, Scale and the Speed of Trust: A Conversation with John Furner and Suresh Kumar

How do you deliver personalized innovation at global scale? What does it take to move from a customer's intent to a delivered solution in under 40 minutes?

In a recent fireside chat, Walmart President and CEO John Furner and Global CTO and CDO Suresh Kumar sat down to answer these questions, and the solution is as much about people as it is about platforms. 

From the challenge of creating a unified tech foundation that still gives our local teams the room to be different, to the "magical" experience of AI-driven shopping journeys, the conversation centers on a singular mission: using technology to serve customers better and faster than ever before.

As John puts it, the secret ingredient isn't in the code, it’s in the culture. Whether it’s an associate in a distribution center using a unified system to move a case more efficiently, or a store manager in Jalisco tailoring the shelves for their community, we are at our best when our global scale empowers local ingenuity. When we trust each other to move fast and solve big problems, we don't just build better tools; we empower our people to redefine what’s possible in retail.

Watch the fireside chat to see John and Suresh discuss:

• Global vs. Local: How tech unifies the business while empowering local markets to stay unique.
• Solving the Dinner Dilemma with AI: How we’re moving from understanding customer intent to delivering physical solutions, often in under 40 minutes.
• The Future of Innovation: Why our ability to go fast is ultimately determined by the strength of the teams standing behind the technology.