'Theres a huge new shift coming along': Coca-Cola and Walmart CEOs both say increasing AI usage behind them stepping down

Date:
Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:25:00 +0000

Description:
Coca-Cola's CEO is stepping down because the company is facing "waves of organizational momentum" as AI takes hold.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Pro Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter James Quincey is stepping down as Coca-Cola CEO as the landscape changes Quincey says AI is having a larger effect on business than expected Walmart's CEO has also stepped down to make way for AI-literate successor Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey has confirmed he will be handing over the reins to a new leader amid the ongoing shift to AI tools , suggesting the technology is having far broader impacts than simply
displacing some entry-level workers.

Speaking with CNBC , Quincey said he will be stepping down after nearly a decade in the role, having led the company since 2017, with current COO Henrique Braun set to take over with effect from the end of March. And while it was Quincey's decision to go, it's clear that AI is even displacing
C-suite execs with a clear emphasis on AI literacy going forward. Article continues below You may like Meta has a new boss to help 'encourage' its workers to use more AI 'I think were going to have a human-level performance on most, if not all, professional tasks': Microsoft AI chief thinks AI will replace most white-collar work in the 12 to 18 months - so is this the end
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Coca-Cola CEO announces successor for the AI world Quincey explained Braun would be better positioned to lead the company amid "waves of the organizational momentum."

"I concluded that, actually, it was time to put someone else on the field for the next wave of growth," he added.

The company posted $47.9 billion in revenue for its most recent full year, up from $35.4 billion for the 2017 fiscal year. "In a pre-AI, a pre-gen-AI mode, we made a lot of progress," he said, "but now there's a huge new shift coming along."

He also blamed "the changing nature of the consumers" for Coca-Cola's ongoing battle to retain market share, likely referencing healthy eating and drinking habits or maybe a shift in content consumption changing its advertising strategies. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners
or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &
Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Quincey isn't the only leader to announce an AI-induced resignation.
Walmart's former CEO Douglas McMillon spoke about the change late last year, acknowledging the need to hand over responsibilities to someone "faster."

This came within weeks of the company being overtaken by Amazon as America's highest revenue earner.

With around 2.1 million employees, it remains the world's largest private-sector employer, however a recent shift into AI-powered supply chain optimization, customer-facing agents and other shopping experiences could be set to change that. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/theres-a-huge-new-shift-coming-along-coca-cola-a nd-walmart-ceos-both-say-increasing-ai-usage-behind-them-stepping-down


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