They Asked Walmart's CTO Everything

“Where will physical AI have the biggest impact?”

One associate asked how Walmart is thinking about physical AI, and how new capabilities move from experimentation into real-world use.

Suresh pointed to the supply chain.

“Physical AI is going to become increasingly relevant in how we move products from manufacturers all the way to people’s homes. We move general merchandise, fresh produce, frozen items and many other kinds of products, all with different requirements. But from the customer’s perspective, they simply want everything to arrive at the right time and in the best condition.

That requires intelligence to understand how products move — to route and schedule them efficiently — but it also requires the ability to understand what is physically happening as products travel through the supply chain, move through a distribution center, reach a shelf or are picked for an order.

Physical AI can act as a sensor, helping us understand what is happening to a particular product on a shelf, inside a facility or in transit. That could be something as simple as monitoring the temperature of frozen ice cream as it moves through the supply chain.

It can also support more complex automation, such as optimizing how a pallet is assembled so that, when it reaches a store, associates can unload it in the order they need.

Ultimately, the opportunity is to move products as efficiently, smoothly and precisely as possible.”

“When everyone has access to AI, what makes Walmart different?”

Suresh’s answer: The technology itself isn’t the differentiator. What you do with it is.

“The competitive advantage is not going to come from which large language model you use or which company you partner with. Most organizations will have access to similar underlying capabilities. The advantage comes from how you use the technology. What do you make it do? What problems are you trying to solve? How are you solving them? And how does the result ultimately benefit a customer or member?

That is where Walmart has an advantage. We serve more customers in more ways at scale than anyone else. We serve customers online and in stores, through pickup and delivery, and across a wide range of products and services.

The model is one part of the equation. The real difference comes from understanding the customer well enough to make the technology useful and relevant to them.”

“Should people sacrifice their 20s?”

One associate asked Suresh about hustle culture, and whether young professionals should spend their 20s relentlessly pursuing the most accomplished version of themselves.

Suresh reframed the question.

“Careers are shaped by the opportunities that come your way and whether you are ready to take advantage of them.

You cannot always manufacture those opportunities. What you can do is be ready for them. Be good at the job you have today, but remain open to learning. Stay curious. Surround yourself with people who can teach you, challenge you and sometimes recognize an opportunity before you do.

I’ve spent most of my career making sure that, as things change, I’m ready to take advantage of those changes, less so trying to engineer every opportunity myself.”

“What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken?”

Rather than pointing to one defining decision, Suresh described a career shaped by repeatedly entering unfamiliar territory, from research to eCommerce to building and operating data platforms.

“Part of taking a risk is putting yourself in situations that are uncomfortable.

When you move into a new field or a new role, you won’t have all the answers. But those situations create the opportunity to grow. It is important to put yourself there once in a while.

Once in a while is important. You cannot live in a constant state of disruption. You need enough stability to absorb what you’re learning and become good at what you do. But occasionally stepping into something unfamiliar is an important part of growth.”