Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is limiting employee access to an artificial-intelligence tool after high demand, highlighting how major corporations are recalibrating their approach to AI adoption.
The retailer is now allocating a set number of “tokens” per employee for use with Code Puppy, an AI agent that assists with tasks ranging from spreadsheets to presentations, according to people familiar with the matter.
Code Puppy was developed in-house at Walmart and previously offered staff an unlimited number of tokens, which are the units of data used in AI computing.
The tool was rolled out as part of Walmart’s broader push to incorporate AI across its operations in order to improve efficiency and streamline workflows.
Employees also retain access to other AI platforms, including Claude and ChatGPT, according to the people familiar with the matter, who declined to be named discussing private information.
A Walmart spokesman said the company wants employees to apply AI in ways that create value, and that it is supporting them with the skills and guidance to use the right AI for the right task.
“Walmart’s approach is to help them experiment, solve problems and create better experiences,” the spokesman added.
As companies weave AI into everyday workflows, they are finding the technology carries significant costs, particularly when employees use it heavily or for tasks involving large amounts of data.
Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER) reportedly exhausted its annual AI budget within just months, while Microsoft Inc. (NASDAQ: MSFT) was said to have pulled back some of its AI-related offerings.
Despite these pressures, corporations across retail and finance are continuing to push staff to incorporate AI tools into their daily work, with some tracking usage levels and others considering AI adoption as a factor in compensation decisions.
Walmart has been considered further ahead than most of its retail peers in implementing AI across areas including supply-chain management and the customer shopping experience.
The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company has been gaining market share through its focus on low prices, fast delivery and a wide assortment of products.
