Walmart exec says the U.S. needs to get tougher on training its next generation of workers in AI: 'Look at China, 5-year-olds are learning DeepSeek' | Fortune

"Let's look at China. Five-year-olds are learning DeepSeek, and that says a lot about how they believe in capability building. What would it do to our U.S. economy, if we all leaned into that opportunity? This perspective from Walmart's chief people officer highlights the strategic importance of early AI education investment and its potential impact on national economic competitiveness."

"In many parts of China, students are being introduced to AI concepts as soon as they enter school. Students in Beijing's primary and secondary schools plan to offer at least eight hours of AI instruction each academic year, covering topics like how to properly use chatbots and the ethics of AI. Chinese students, on average, also spend more time in the classroom than their U.S. peers."

"Nearly one-third of the world's top AI talent were born in China, according to a 2020 study from the Paulson Institute, and many top U.S. tech companies have been dishing out sky-high compensation packages to woo that talent. When Meta, for example, unveiled its new Superintelligence Lab in June, seven of the lab's 11 researchers were born in China-and all were recruited from outside the United States."

Corporate America faces urgent pressure to upskill its workforce as AI leaders warn of major white-collar job disruption within 18 months. Despite these warnings, few workers currently use AI in daily tasks. Major employers including Deloitte, Verizon, and Walmart are launching large-scale AI training initiatives. China's competitive advantage stems from early AI education integration, with five-year-olds learning AI concepts and students receiving eight hours of annual AI instruction. This investment has created a deep talent pipeline, with nearly one-third of the world's top AI talent born in China. U.S. tech companies compete aggressively for this talent with premium compensation packages. Business leaders warn that without enhanced AI training for both current workers and students, the U.S. risks falling behind in economic competitiveness.

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