Walmart reportedly issued a clear directive to its employees on Tuesday to not share any Walmart-related information into generative artificial intelligence systems such as ChatGPT.
In an internal email sent to employees, Walmart Global Technology, Walmart’s division responsible for technology and software engineering, said it previously blocked ChatGPT for a period of time “after noticing activity that posed a risk to the company.” “Subsequently, we took the time to evaluate and develop a set of guidelines on the use of generative AI systems and have now opened up the use of ChatGPT across Walmart’s internal network.”
A Walmart spokesperson did not respond as to when the company blocked ChatGPT and what the nature of the allegedly risky activity was, saying only in a statement, “Most new technologies can both bring new help and create new risk. It’s a common move for us to evaluate these new technologies and provide guidelines to our associates on their use.”
In the new guidelines, Walmart tells employees that they should “avoid entering any sensitive, confidential or proprietary information” into ChatGPT, such as financial information, strategic information, and personal information about shoppers and employees. The email also said that employees “should not enter any information about Walmart’s business, including business processes, policies or strategies, into these tools.”
The email said Wal-Mart employees must evaluate the output of these systems before accepting information from them. Employees should not cut or copy software code into these tools, nor should they use them to write new code.
According to the email, “Entering Wal-Mart information into these tools could expose the company, could violate confidentiality agreements and could seriously compromise our rights to the code, products, information or content. Every employee is responsible for using and protecting Walmart’s data in the right way.”
At the end of the email, Walmart said that ChatGPT “can improve efficiency and bring innovation,” but that these generative AI tools must be used in an “appropriate manner.”
Recently, companies like Amazon and Microsoft have issued similar warnings to employees about entering confidential information into ChatGPT.
