How Walmart is empowering developers with AI 

GenAI is by no means a new concept to Walmart. We have long been a culture that encourages experimentation and have invested in this technology for years. Before releasing experiences for our customers, we first turned inward—empowering associates with GenAI tools so they could familiarize themselves with the tech and utilize it to reshape their work. One of the first applications we publicly announced was the introduction of the 'GenAI Playground', which provided a safe space for associates to experiment. We then expanded our offerings by launching ‘My Assistant’, a tool designed to help campus associates get to first drafts faster, summarize large documents and serve as a creative partner. 

We also focused on building solutions that could aid developers.

How our developers are using GenAI

We’ve been able to transform developer toolkits by incorporating GenAI. Integrations are streamlining the coding process and also revolutionizing the way developers design, debug, and deploy software applications. And most importantly, it's eliminating silos that developed over time as teams grew. 

Ultimately, we’ve found that GenAI is not just a tool, it’s a partner. It aids in automating repetitive tasks, reducing errors, and increasing productivity, and can assist developers in numerous ways including: 

• training, learning, and support; 
• rapid prototyping; 
• troubleshooting and data analysis; 
• and streamlining processes. 

By optimizing onboarding, processes and tasks, developers can spend more time on development and deployment and less time searching for answers and resources.

DX AI Assistant

After surveying teams, we found the most sought-after use case was content discovery. So, we launched the DX AI Assistant, an internal marketplace of GenAI chatbot solutions designed to optimize Walmart's Developer Experience (DX). It leverages leading models from DX and our internal Walmart knowledge bases and key developer resources.

Developers use DX AI Assistant anytime they have Walmart-specific questions on what tools to use, what resources to provision and how to configure them. The answer is generated in a few seconds without them spending time going through pages of content. On average, DX AI saves developers 5 minutes per question.

DX Platform

We also launched the DX Platform to connect the developer ecosystem. It acts as a unified access point for developer tools and to provision resources, consolidating content from different platforms. DX Platform also provides a single interface to deploy, triage and monitor software deployments. 

Code Buddy

Code Buddy aids in development and helps developers create unit test cases and understand existing code, as well as troubleshoot pipeline failures. The tool offers recommendations, tutorials and explanations, and can assist with technical documentation efforts, among many other benefits.

ArchiText

Creating UML (Unified Modeling Language) diagrams manually is a cumbersome and time-consuming task that requires a high level and accuracy. This tool helps teams create UML diagrams from text inputs, using natural language processing to understand the prompt, information extraction and data structuring to process the data in the format to generate diagrams. Teams create diagrams 69% faster, saving an average of 31 minutes per diagram.

Pipeline Visualizer

Pipeline Visualizer consolidates all CI/CD pipeline assets in one location, providing a centralized hub for developers to access necessary resources. This consolidation aids in the swift identification of issues within the pipeline, reducing the time spent searching for relevant assets. As a result, developers can focus on resolving the issues, reducing time spent on pipeline fixes. 

To facilitate growth of similar special assistants we are building out DX AI Builder, a user-friendly platform that enables developers to create AI Assistants to improve automation, optimize performance, and enhance the functionality of the DX AI Assistant Marketplace in days, not months.

What does the future hold?

Incorporating GenAI in all these aspects will not only streamline the entire development process but will also provide an environment that encourages innovation and creativity. This strategic move paves the way for E2E automation, enabling a more efficient and effective Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

GenAI is poised to become a game-changer. We envision integrating it into every stage of the SDLC in the next three years, transforming processes from discovery to development and operations. By automating tasks, enhancing productivity, fostering innovation, and ensuring data privacy and security, GenAI is set to revolutionize the developer experience and set new industry standards. Processes that used to take multiple steps will transition into conversational and one-click experiences. This integration underscores Walmart's commitment to delivering value quickly and efficiently, paving the way for a new era of innovation and creativity in software development.

A note about using GenAI responsibly

At Walmart, using GenAI responsibly is fundamental to our core values. We strive for excellence and adhere to our responsible AI pledge, a commitment grounded in six principles that outline how we use AI in a manner that customers, members, and associates can trust.

As we are integrating GenAI into our systems, we place equal importance on protecting the confidentiality and privacy of our data and developer community. Our commitment to security extends beyond mere statements and is actively practiced in collaboration with our InfoSec and Data Privacy teams. Together, we're constructing the necessary safeguards and implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of our data.

Our partnership with these teams allows us to create a robust framework that prioritizes data privacy and security. This involves the development and implementation of stringent guidelines that govern how data is handled, stored, and processed within our systems. Moreover, we are investing in advanced technologies that meticulously scan and cleanse content before it is ingested for AI generation. This step is crucial in eliminating any potential risks that could compromise our data's integrity or expose highly sensitive data. The true power of GenAI lies in its ability to function effectively while ensuring the security of the data it works with.