Walmart Revisits Robots | Why GitLab’s 100% For Remote Work | GM’s CIO On Hiring 3,000 Tech Workers

Plus: Understanding The Leadership Implications Of The Post-Election Landscape

Hello, and welcome to the latest issue of the Forbes CIO newsletter.

“The robots are coming for our jobs! The robots are coming for our jobs! Oh, wait a minute, maybe they’re not. Yes, maybe they’re not. Yay!”

That, in a nutshell, has been a clear undertone to the coverage of news that Walmart has decided to scrap a contract with Bossa Nova Robotics, which had been supplying the company with an army of robots to help automate in-store inventory tracking. The six-foot tall machines were deployed in some 500 of the retailer’s stores and were doing tasks previously undertaken by humans. Five years into the experience, Walmart has concluded that people, sometimes in conjunction with simpler automation tools, can achieve similar results to the robots at a lower near-term cost. 

It’s tempting to conclude this is a big step backwards for automation—tempting, but wrong. Sure, Walmart had high hopes for the machines, predicting back in January that they would eventually be in 1,000 stores. But it’s still pursuing automation on plenty of other fronts. This week, for instance, the company revealed it is launching a robotic-delivery pilot program with General Motors-backed Cruise, which will involve Cruise’s electric, self-driving cars bringing groceries and other goods to customers in the suburbs of Phoenix. 

Looking at the bigger picture, the pandemic has given a huge boost to robot-driven automation as companies look to machines that don’t get sick to perform more and more functions. Robots have taken over tasks everywhere from restaurants to apartment buildings and hotels, where germ-blasting machines are being used to help clean rooms. New startups are also working hard to make robots more intelligent and flexible, and advances in 5G connectivity will enhance their capabilities too. That’s a theme we’ll spend time on in the upcoming episode of our CIO Next virtual event series on November 18. (You can register to attend for free here.)

I’d love to get your views on the trends and issues you think we should dig even deeper into around the crucial topic of automation, which is going to have a profound impact on the future of our economy and society.

You can send those views to me along with  your tips, thoughts, questions and ideas for future issues at mgiles@forbes.com. You can also follow me on Twitter and on LinkedIn. And if you enjoy reading this newsletter please recommend it to others who may find it useful.

Technology & Innovation

Cybersecurity: Ransomware attacks have long plagued systems running Windows. Now there’s growing evidence hackers have Linux-based systems in their sights too.

AI and supply chains: Startups such as Hwy Haul are using AI and machine learning to optimize how supply chains operate. This is yet another example of the power of algorithms in business—though CIOs need to beware of the potentially worrying biases that can get embedded in them.

Leadership & Strategy

Process mining: For robotic process automation (RPA) to really work well, CIOs need to be able to track how data is flowing through their businesses and where there may be bottlenecks and other pain points. Process mining software from companies such as Celonis can shed light on these and suggest adjustments that will benefit RPA efforts. Here’s a helpful guide to how the two neatly complement one another.

Sustainability: Although the Covid-19 pandemic has forced companies into emergency mode when it comes to managing supply chains, it's crucial they don’t lose sight of the importance of sustainability initiatives. Here are 10 reasons why CIOs need to make sustainability a key part of their digital transformation strategies.

Talent & Careers

Diversity and inclusion: Following the death of George Floyd, a group of CIOs met to discuss the tech landscape but instead turned its attention toward figuring out how to foster real change in IT departments. Together they have created an organization called TechPACT, which aims to have 5,000 committed pledges to increase diversity in IT teams in its first year of operation.

CIO moves: While General Motors is hiring 3,000 new tech workers (see our CIO Profile below), Ford has just hired a new tech leader. Vijay Sankaran, the former CIO of TD Ameritrade, is joining the auto giant as its chief software & information officer. In other moves, insurer MetLife has hired Pawan Verma, the former CIO of Foot Locker, as its new CIO and LPL Financial has given Lety Nettles responsibility for business products and a technology innovation lab as CIO of one of its units. 

"We believe an inclusive culture...will result in greater creativity, quicker innovation and better products for our customers. To do that, we need an ‘everybody in’ mentality."

Randy Mott

Executive vice president global technology & CIO of General Motors

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