Instacart has become the first grocery partner to launch a dedicated app within ChatGPT, enabling users to shop by prompting the assistant and then building a cart powered by Instacart’s catalog and OpenAI models. After signing in, customers can review selections and pay securely via Instant Checkout, with orders fulfilled through Instacart’s network. The move reinforces Instacart’s leadership in US grocery delivery and gives it an early chance to shape AI-enabled shopping behavior. If consumers embrace the feature, its ability to learn preferences and streamline reorders could meaningfully reduce friction and nudge more shoppers toward online grocery buying.
Grocery prices continue to climb amid low crop yields, geopolitical shocks, supply-chain issues, and new tariffs, leaving middle- and low-income consumers struggling as wages lag inflation. Student loan borrowers are feeling particular strain, with many reporting difficulty affording basic necessities. President Trump has responded with executive orders exempting some foods from tariffs and directing investigations into potential foreign price-fixing, though these steps are unlikely to offer quick relief. With nearly half of Americans saying the cost of living is the worst they can remember and holiday spending plans dropping sharply, consumers remain cautious heading into next year.
Younger consumers are more likely than older generations to put off care or treatment due to cost, according to a September 2025 Pymnts survey. Younger consumers are generally healthier than older adults, which may make their medical needs feel less urgent. Provider organizations must show Gen Z why staying on top of their health matters—and that care doesn’t have to be expensive in many instances.
Listening patterns from 2025 show how audio fits into everyday moments differently across markets, from commutes to cooking to winding down at night. Spotify’s Wrapped for Advertisers pulls those signals into a clearer picture for 2026 advertising decisions.
Paramount has taken its $30-per-share WBD offer directly to shareholders, launching a $108.4 billion hostile tender backed by sovereign funds and major banks. The move intensifies its battle with Netflix, whose smaller bid would spin off WBD’s cable networks and merge HBO Max with Netflix’s global platform. Paramount argues that its fully consolidated approach preserves ecosystem value, avoids heavy antitrust scrutiny, and protects theatrical output, while Netflix’s deal would concentrate subscription and premium-video power. For marketers, the stakes are substantial: a Netflix acquisition could limit ad-supported supply and raise prices, while a Paramount deal maintains competition, inventory diversity, and greater planning clarity.
Personalized AI is no longer a nice-to-have feature—it’s a driver of adoption that inspires trust in the efficacy of AI solutions. Nine in 10 Gen Z and millennial leaders would be more inclined to use AI at work if responses were personalized, per a survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Google Workspace. CMOs should ensure AI tools on deck can learn style and brand voice and deliver outputs that are aligned with employees’ goals and tasks. Encourage employees to experiment with custom GPTs and Google Gems to develop role-specific tools that can follow workflows across the organization.
Meta acquired AI wearables startup Limitless as part of an effort to accelerate development of AI-enabled devices. Limitless’ main product is an AI-powered pendant that records, transcribes, and summarizes users’ conversations. Acquiring Limitless is likely less about the pendant itself and more about getting access to the startup’s technology. Meta could integrate Limitless’ Rewind software—which can compress over 10 GB of data into a 3 MB file, per 9to5Mac—into its glasses to maximize storage. The winners in the AI wearables category could be those that balance hardware innovation with the privacy challenges that come with always-on intelligence.
A spike in consumer interest, changing social expectations, and perception has brands and retailers leaning into men's fragrances. "The days of guys only wanting a classic, masculine scent are gone," said Sarah Armstrong, associate content manager at Axe US."Guys are looking for excitement in the fragrance category, wanting to explore new scent cues," she said. "For example, we've seen more gourmand, sweet fragrances come to market over the last few years."
Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken announced the public launch of Kraken VIP, a service akin to a private crypto bank for investors with a $10 million average balance or $80 million in annual trading volume. Crypto is tapping the ultra-luxury market with benefits and exclusivity that have been the domain of private banks and high-end credit cards. This new frontier for crypto should incite traditional financial providers to evolve their UHNW offerings to meet rising experiential expectations.
The share of rental applicants who are more than 90 days delinquent on student loans increased from 15% in January 2025 to 32% in May, according to a just-released TransUnion report. Credit score data reflects these delinquencies, with lower-scoring consumers faring the worst. Consumers’ struggles with student loan repayments highlight a problem for financial institutions (FIs) on the hook for private-loan defaults. And as consumers delay expensive financial decisions like buying a house in favor of reducing student loan debt, demand for credit like mortgages and auto loans will suffer.
Canada’s big banks exceeded expectations for the 2025 fiscal year as capital markets and wealth management carried results. But economic uncertainty loomed over results. Adverse trade policy and a cooling labor market were hot topics, and there are risks of consumer credit stress. Threats to Canada’s economic wellbeing abound, which will trickle down to banks’ businesses. In the meantime, restructuring will likely distract management teams, slowing response to changing business conditions.
Nearly one-third (64%) of SMBs cite social as their No. 1 traffic source, topping organic search at 52% and reflecting a broader move in how buyers discover brands, per WordStream by LocaliQ. SMBs are embracing social platforms as a remedy for increasing volatility from genAI search updates. Brands looking to reach SMBs should prioritize Instagram and TikTok, where engagement and creator ROI lead. Short-form, tutorial-style content that tackles real SMB pain points performs best on these platforms. SMBs should double down on social strategies while strengthening content so AI summaries surface their brands before competitors’.
Amazon, Target, and Walmart are stepping up their holiday fulfillment efforts to reassure late shoppers that gifts will arrive before Christmas. Amazon is adding clear “Arrives before Christmas” messaging and enabling delivery or pickup on many items through Christmas Eve, while Target is extending store hours and leaning on rapid curbside, in-store pickup, and same-day delivery. Walmart is expected to match or exceed last year’s Christmas Eve express cutoffs. These moves highlight how crucial last-minute reliability has become, as faster delivery speeds increasingly shape where shoppers spend and give retailers with strong fulfillment networks a powerful competitive edge.
Gap’s new AI chatbot was quickly coaxed into discussing intimacy products and other off-limits topics after launch, revealing a misconfiguration in the guardrails set by its AI partner Sierra, according to The Information. Sierra said a bad actor attempted to jailbreak more than a dozen client agents, and Gap’s was the only one that slipped past detection due to the setup error, which has since been fixed. The incident underscores how easily brand safety can be compromised when safeguards aren’t airtight, highlighting the need for companies to rigorously vet vendors and ensure robust protections before deploying AI tools.
Cash App and Binance are targeting teen and pre-teen engagement with payments and crypto, per press releases. Emphasizing safety and financial education will be critical for any youth financial product to get off the ground. Streamlining parental controls through easy-to-monitor features like push notifications can win over parents of Gen Alpha, who are more likely to be millennials who favor mobile- and app-first financial experiences.
Bank of America debuted an exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 custom card design and ticket opportunity for applicants, per a press release. Cardholders can choose between two FIFA-themed card designs. New applicants for BofA’s Customized Cash Rewards or Unlimited Cash Rewards Visa credit cards can also buy two tickets to select FIFA World Cup matches starting February 10, 2026. Leaning into sporting events for marketing and rewards can connect issuers with young consumers who are passionate about exclusive, memory-building experiences. Hosting on-site events and spaces during the matches could draw in even more potential cardholders.
Revolut launched “street mode,” a security feature designed to thwart transfer mugging, per a press release. Revolut users can set up “trusted locations” within their banking apps where they can transfer funds without additional security measures. Protecting users’ money should be top-of-mind for payment providers and banks. But there are key security features that banks still fail to offer—despite strong consumer demand. Twenty-eight percent of consumers in our benchmark said that blocking contactless payments was “extremely valuable,” but just one bank—Truist—delivered. Similarly, alerts for SSN breaches were the most-demanded feature (53%), but only Chase and Capital One offer it.
LinkedIn released a report on the trends shaping small businesses in 2026, proving that technology, trust, and relationship building will be the pillars of success for small businesses in the years ahead. Despite the unique roadblocks small businesses face amid current macroeconomic conditions, success is possible for those who stay on top of emerging technologies, invest in their digital presence, and build professional relationships.
Softening consumer confidence hasn’t dented beauty demand, according to executives from Ulta Beauty and Estée Lauder. Engagement with the category “remained healthy in Q3,” Ulta CEO Kecia Steelman said, noting that sales rose across both mass and prestige products. The US consumer is “resilient,” Estée Lauder CEO Stephane de la Faverie said, though he acknowledged signs of price sensitivity. The strength isn’t isolated to Estée Lauder and Ulta: Beauty sales accelerated in Q3, according to Circana, showing that shoppers are prioritizing self-care amid uncertainty. However, while shoppers are keen to buy, they are managing their budgets and focusing on value.