S2E09: Inside Walmart’s AI Journey - From Pilots to Scale | Feat. Aaron Berg

Scaling AI in retail is not about experimentation anymore. It is about execution.In this episode of The Retail Tales, host Saurabh sits down with Aaron Berg, Vice President of Digital Transformation at Walmart, for a candid conversation on what it truly takes to move AI from pilots to enterprise-scale impact inside one of the world’s most complex retail organizations.Drawing from Aaron’s journey across finance, corporate development, operations, and digital transformation, the discussion goes deep into how Walmart approaches AI as a long-term capability rather than a series of disconnected experiments. Together, they explore:How AI moved from experimentation to strategic priority at WalmartWhy many retail AI initiatives stall in “pilot purgatory” and never scaleThe often-overlooked hidden costs of AI across data, governance, adoption, and change managementWhere AI is creating the most meaningful impact across the retail value chainHow leaders should think about build vs buy decisions for AI capabilitiesThe balance between ambition, responsibility, and human judgment in AI adoptionThe episode concludes with a fast-paced Lightning Round, offering Aaron’s unfiltered perspectives on AI myths, unpopular opinions, capital allocation, and what success in retail AI should look like.This conversation is essential listening for retail leaders, technology executives, and AI practitioners who are serious about moving beyond pilots and building AI that scales.Listen now on ⁠Spotify⁠ or ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠. DISCLAIMER: The information presented in thispodcast episode is intended for general informational purposes only. By accessing and listening to this episode, you acknowledge that none of the information provided herein should be construed as advice from The Retail Tales, its individual author(s), hosts, or guests. It is not intended toreplace independent research on any subject matter. Any mention of specific products or entities does not imply an endorsement or recommendation by The Retail Tales. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not constitute an endorsement by The Retail Tales or any associated entity. The host may have taken creative liberties to make the stories and experiences more appealing to the listeners. The Retail Tales waives all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or other damages that may result from an individual's use of, reference to, or reliance on this podcast or the information it contains.