Minnesota Business Updates
■
the possibilities and pitfalls of in-store robotic technology. CNN reports that Walmart is investing heavily in instore AI. The company will add self-driving robots to scrub the floors of more than 1,860 individual stores by February. Additionally, it will deploy robots to scan shelves at 350 stores and use AI to scan deliveries and sort them by department onto conveyor belts at 1,700 stores. On the other hand, Minnesota-based Target has a markedly different vision for the role of AI. The company has added self-checkout and automatic cash-counting machines to hundreds of stores in recent years, but CEO Brian Cornell says the company won’t be adding AI to its 1,850 sales floors. “You won’t see robots in Target stores anytime soon,” Cornell says. “We really think, even in today’s environment, where people are talking about AI and robotics and different elements of technology, the human touch still really matters.”
■ State companies on Forbes’ best list Five Minnesota companies have been included in the top 250 of Forbes’ list of “World’s Best Employers.” The highest Minnesota entry on the list is Richfield’s Best Buy, which has been named for the first time on the list and ranks as high as 66th. Best Buy was the 7th-highest ranked retailer, and also the 7th-highest ranked overall in the “Best Employers for Women” list. Two spots back in 68th is the Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group, followed in 72nd place by Austin’s Hormel Foods. Another food giant, General Mills of Golden Valley, ranks 131st on the list, with Maplewood’s 3M ranking 218th. Further back is Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp at 426th. Forbes compiles the rankings based upon the feedback of some 1.4 million employees it surveyed, as well as public feedback across the globe.
■ Best Buy offers next day free delivery Best Buy announced it will offer free next-day delivery on thousands of items. The new delivery service covers items such as tablets, headphones and even
■ Different views on AI Walmart and Target are both using artificial intelligence to streamline their operations, but how each company is making use of retail robots underscores
Employment/Unemployment Initial unemployment claims Nine-county Mankato region Major September Industry 2018 2019 Construction Manufacturing Retail Services Total*
147 52 36 96 331
Local non-farm jobs Percent change ‘18-’19
73 132 20 80 305
Construction 126000 126000 Manufacturing Retail 113000 Services 113000 Total*
2,712 987 832 2,578 7,109
2,583 1,702 782 2,806 7,873
126000
2100 1400
113000
700 100000
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
Minnesota Local non-farm jobs
N
D
3,018 3,046
8000 3500 3500 6000 2800 2800 4000 2100 2100
-4.8% +72.4% -6.0% +8.8% +10.7%
28 • DECEMBER 2019 • MN Valley Business
O
D
N
D
0
J
200000
100000 50000
700 0 0
J
150000
2000 1400 1400
700
0
- 2018 - 2019
(in thousands)
Percent change ‘18-’19
Services consist of administration, educational, health care and social 100000 assistance, food andJ otherF miscellaneous services. M A M J J A S O 100000 J don’t F equal M total A because M Jsome Jcategories A not S listed. O N *Categories
3500 2800
-50.3% +153.8% +44.4% -16.6% -7.9%
Minnesota initial unemployment claims September 2018 2019
133,604 132,602
139000
Services consist of administration, educational, health care and social assistance, food and other miscellaneous services. *Categories don’t equal total because some categories not listed.
Major Industry 139000 139000
- 2018 - 2019
Nine-county Mankato region
J
F
J
F
F M
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
M A A M
M J
J J
J A
A S
S O
O N
N D
D
0
J
F