If you can’t beat them, join them. That’s the approach some retailers are taking with a powerful new middleman in e-commerce: AI-powered agents.

Earlier this month, Walmart announced a partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI, which launched its new protocol for funneling customers seamlessly from “chat to checkout.” The announcement was the third in as many weeks, with Shopify and Etsy also striking deals with the AI juggernaut.

Yet retailers’ willingness to embrace the new comes as AI agents are already gaining ground among online shoppers. AI referral traffic to retail websites surged 4,700% YoY in July, according to data from Adobe Analytics, and it’s expected to jump another 515%–520% over the holidays.

For AI boosters, the benefits couldn’t be clearer: “Agents are a win-win for both the consumers and the merchants,” Melissa Bridgeford, CEO and co-founder of Wizard, an AI-powered agent specializing in e-commerce, told Retail Brew.

Keep reading here.—AV

Nike is associated with many sports, but the company’s roots are in running. The brand’s co-founder and chairman emeritus, Phil Knight, ran track and field at the University of Oregon, where he was coached by Bill Bowerman, Nike’s other co-founder.

So it’s probably no surprise that the fall marathon season, when major races including the Berlin, Amsterdam, and New York City marathons take place, is kind of a big deal at Nike.

The brand is an official sponsor of races including the Portland and Chicago marathons, has wide-ranging deals with elite marathoners like Eliud Kipchoge and Conner Mantz, and is involved with the run-club scene that’s growing in popularity. Even at races where Nike isn’t an official sponsor, like this weekend’s New York City Marathon, the swoosh is hard to miss.

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—AM

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Jason Jacobs is VP of programmatic media and partnerships at digital advertising company Captivate.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I work in the digital out-of-home (DOOH) space, which means any digital screens you see in public that are not your phone, computer, or TV. Within DOOH, the retail media side is growing quickly. At Captivate, we help influence shoppers’ buying decisions by showing brand and product messages on screens in places like office buildings and residential complexes. My role is to help brands and agencies connect with these consumers in the right place at the right time.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? One thing you can’t guess from my LinkedIn profile is how much time I spend troubleshooting campaigns and resolving client issues. I also create new collateral that helps tell our story and showcase our capabilities.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? One of my favorite projects was developing a cross-venue retail media package that combined office, residential, and other high-traffic environments into a single offering. It required collaboration across multiple teams, creative problem solving to align inventory and targeting, and gave brands a way to reach consumers throughout their daily routines.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? I am most excited about the growth of retail media beyond traditional e-commerce channels and into real world environments like digital out-of-home.

Keep reading here.—EC

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