In today's podcast episode, we discuss why ChatGPT's Instant Checkout didn't take off, the strengths and weaknesses of today's third-party AI shopping assistants, why they struggle with conversion, and what AI shopping might look like a year from now. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with analysts Grace Harmon and Rachel Wolff. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

Different playbooks emerge as companies look to monetize their chatbots without losing trust.

More shoppers are comfortable letting AI assistants filter brand communications and product recommendations.

Exclusive survey data reveals how the path to purchase for online food delivery from restaurants is evolving across Latin America, highlighting shifting consumer behavior, key players, and the trends shaping the regional market in 2026.

Q1 results show how the biggest retailers are managing uncertainty as the Iran war pressures consumer spending

The retailer’s new “Alexa for Shopping” assistant unites voice and chatbots to drive discovery and spending.

Retail strategy is getting more complex, but the customer journey isn’t necessarily getting better. As brands invest in new channels, emerging tech, and reimagined experiences, many are still falling short on the fundamentals that actually drive discovery, conversion, and loyalty.

Retail media is concentrating as a scaled second tier takes shape and the long tail slips further behind. Growth will persist, but the hierarchy is sharpening, raising the stakes for how networks compete and where advertisers place bets.

Microsoft courts AI-era marketers: AI Max and chat-native ad formats aim to capture spend as discovery drifts from keywords to copilots.

AI is reshaping how consumers discover and choose products, creating a fast-growing new commerce channel with its own set of unique challenges.

Consumers are increasingly making decisions inside AI conversations, before traditional signals ever appear. That shift is creating a new visibility gap between brands that can access early intent and those that can’t.

ChatGPT ads could open up in a second window via a partnership with Smartly

AI is moving upstream, showing up earlier in the decision-making process and increasingly shaping what happens next.

Low-cost clicks give marketers insight into Amazon’s rankings, but thin volume and opaque chats curb impact.

As early movers launch ads within OpenAI's ChatGPT, they're closely watching how consumers interact with their campaigns and where this emerging channel fits within broader strategies. “Investment in technology and AI…goes hand-in-hand with great experience,” said Target CEO Michael Fiddelke, at the retailer’s 2026 Financial Community Meeting. “We know those tech investments pay off with stronger experience, whether that's digital or whether that's in-store.”

It’s looking at powering ads in third-party chatbots, extending its ad business beyond retail media.

A Santander-Mastercard pilot shows AI can transact—forcing brands to rethink the funnel.

Meta’s test underscores a fight to own high-intent discovery and loyalty.

With US engagement flat, brands must trade blast tactics for dialogue-driven commerce.