Instacart has integrated its services with Claude to allow users to build grocery carts directly within a chatbot conversation, aiming to enhance user experience by synchronizing carts with Instacart accounts, offering a seamless transition from conversation to purchase. This integration, announced by Instacart's CTO Anirban Kundu, leverages Instacart's extensive grocery intelligence and real-time inventory data to provide personalized and accurate shopping experiences. Kundu emphasized the complexity of grocery shopping AI, noting the importance of reflecting personal preferences and real-time stock availability.

Instacart, with its partnership with Anthropic's AI assistant Claude, is leading the charge in integrating agentic AI into the grocery industry, seeking to enhance omnichannel shopping experiences.

Ace Hardware has introduced Hey ARMA, an AI-powered feature added to the ACE Retailer Mobile Assistant, to enhance customer service across its 5,200 stores. Since its February launch, Hey ARMA has handled over 55,000 associate queries, providing instant access to product recommendations, project guidance and inventory data. CEO John Venhuizen emphasizes that the AI tool is designed to support, not replace, employees, making them more confident and effective in assisting customers.

Little Caesars, Starbucks and Burger King have integrated ChatGPT into their ordering systems, enabling users to build meal orders directly within the platform. "We see large language models [LLMs] like ChatGPT becoming a new storefront," Little Caesars Chief Marketing Officer Greg Hamilton said. This move is designed to leverage AI technology to streamline the customer experience and capture new orders from ChatGPT users.

Hershey is modernizing its marketing mix modeling by partnering with analytics platforms Mutinex and Tracer to automate and speed up the process. The integration of agentic AI is expected to allow Hershey to evaluate and adjust marketing spend in near real time, as opposed to the previous lag of several months, and the company expects to boost revenue attributable to media by 4% to 5%. "This is a complete game-changing moment for our organization," says Vinny Rinaldi, vice president of media and marketing technology at Hershey.

Albertsons Media Collective has launched a new integration with Google's Display & Video 360, enabling advertisers to leverage Albertsons' first-party data for targeting across YouTube and premium publisher inventory. The integration utilizes Google's AI-driven optimization tools and supports a full-funnel approach, allowing brands to connect with Albertsons' large grocery audience earlier in the shopping journey and link media exposure directly to sales.

Breakthru Beverage Group has deployed AI tools to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. The AI Sales Coach and Legal AI Assistant are expected to save significant time and costs, with projected annual savings of $100,000. The beverage distributor also implemented a governance layer to ensure compliance and support AI initiatives across its distribution network.

EssilorLuxottica's shares fell Thursday after reporting first-quarter results that met expectations but failed to alleviate concerns about the growth prospects of its AI-enabled glasses. Despite a 10.8% revenue increase, doubts persist about the company's demanding growth targets and competitive pressures in the wearables market. The performance of Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses, developed with Meta, was a highlight, but analysts remain cautious about long-term strategic challenges.

Retailers face a growing challenge as digitally savvy shoppers often know more than store associates, due to outdated technology systems that hinder associates' ability to provide informed service. Some 36% of retailers see this as a major threat, with associates struggling to find answers quickly, according to a study by Retail Systems Research. The solution lies in rethinking in-store technology, particularly through AI, which can streamline information access and enhance customer interactions, with companies like Lowe's are already using AI to equip associates with real-time data, looking to transform stores into a competitive advantage.

The latest update from Google is reshaping SEO by prioritizing content that meets user intent and provides real value. The integration of AI Overviews — reportedly went from appearing for 6.49% of queries in January 2025 to 25% to 50% of queries today — and advanced search techniques is making it crucial for SEO professionals to produce content that is not only informative but also easy to understand and trustworthy. As the focus shifts from clicks to visibility, especially for local businesses, maintaining strong communication between SEO teams and stakeholders becomes essential to navigate this changing digital landscape.