The advocacy group United for Respect surveyed more than 200 Amazon and Walmart workers in December 2024 and found that 62 percent worried HR decisions were being outsourced to automated systems, 60 percent feared AI would eliminate jobs within one to two years, and 49 percent cited automation-related job loss as a top-three concern. Amazon stated that employees have multiple support channels and that medical accommodations are handled directly with workers. Walmart said it has disclosed its use of AI and automation and has been transparent about how these technologies are reshaping operations. Both companies have expanded automation across warehouse operations and HR workflows. Workers report that Amazon HR interactions now often occur through AI tools rather than with on-site staff, and that algorithms influence scheduling, task timing, productivity monitoring, and staffing decisions. Walmart workers described AI-generated task timelines as unrealistic. United for Respect has begun filing shareholder proposals demanding greater disclosure of AI's impact on workers.
The issue has moved beyond abstract labor-market concerns into concrete workplace governance: workers say automated systems are already affecting accommodations, discipline, and staffing decisions today, not in some distant future. As Amazon and Walmart face mounting scrutiny over AI deployment generally, worker oversight and transparency have become active corporate governance questions. Attorneys should monitor shareholder proposals, any regulatory response to accommodation delays, and whether these cases prompt litigation over AI's role in employment decisions.