What: Walmart plans to build four new high-tech fulfillment centers over the next three years that would include automation, machine learning and robotics while also collectively employing more than 4,000 new workers.

Why is it important: Through the four new fulfillment centers alone, Walmart could offer next-day or two-day shipping to 75% of the U.S. population.

Walmart has partnered with Knapp, a fulfillment tech company that will develop an automated high-density storage system that streamlines a manual, twelve-step process into just five steps.

The centers use an automated storage system to house products — once they are received, unpacked and placed in specialized “totes” — in millions of designated locations. When a customer purchases an item, the system retrieves it automatically and creates a custom-fitting box.

Walmart plots 4 new ‘next generation’ fulfillment centers