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Walmart is upbeat about using technology and is not afraid of getting it wrong.

“There’s a lot of optimism for what technology can do to help [front-line employees] become better associates, get more efficiency faster, have more tools that they can access,” John Furner, president and CEO, told a press pool during Walmart’s Associates Week in Bentonville, Arkansas, last week.

Around 1.3 million US Walmart associates now carry devices called “fresh touring agents” that guide them through their day, surfacing the best next action, showing store layouts, and helping them locate products faster. Still, company executives said the US retailer’s philosophy is still “people-led, powered by technology” multiple times throughout the week.

In July 2025, Walmart added three new AI agents to work behind the scenes with Walmart employees, supply chain partners (a chatbot called Marty), and developers to consolidate workflows, and drive operational efficiency and faster innovation across the company.

“I think it’s important to note that in terms of agentic commerce or agentic operations, any way you look at it, it’s early, and there’s a lot that we have to learn,” Furner said. “We have to figure out what works and what doesn’t, and some things that seem promising will work, and they’ll work as we expect, and there’ll be other things—just like the whole history of our company—that we will try that may not work the way we thought, or may not work at all.”

Keep reading here.—VC

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CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & TRENDS

The usual?

A cast photo from the television show Cheers.

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As Norm, Frasier, and the rest of the Cheers gang knew well, sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name. Now data from Toast, the restaurant software platform, and Resy, the reservation platform, shows just how important regulars are to restaurants.

Just 7% of regulars—or “multi-visit diners,” in restaurant parlance—account for as much as 50% of order volume, according to the report.

Besides their outsized spending power, there are plenty of reasons for restaurants to keep regulars happy, including their propensity for making reservations.

Keep reading here.—AAN

MARKETING

A kick in the pants

Jesse Marsch, head coach of the Canadian men’s national soccer team, Jesse Marsch stands on an indoor soccer field, looking down at a soccer ball suspended in front of him as he keeps it in the air with a controlled touch, similar to a game of hacky sack.

Jesse Marsch./Duer

When brands ink deals with spokespeople, what they surely don’t want to happen is what occurred after Chinese smartphone maker Huawei hired Wonder Woman actress Gail Godot in 2018. Godot shared a Huawei commercial she starred in on Twitter (now X) that included a stamp revealing it was sent “via Twitter for iPhone.” Although Godot subsequently deleted the tweet, explained it was sent from a publicity assistant’s iPhone, and subsequently sent more tweets from her Huawei device, the eggy-faced PR damage was done.

One brand that seems likely to avoid such a mishap is Duer, the Vancouver-based self-described “performance jeanswear” brand, which has hired Jesse Marsch, head coach of the Canadian men’s national soccer team, as a brand ambassador for the duration of the World Cup.

Keep reading here.—AAN

SWAPPING SKUS

Today’s top retail reads.

Ghost drivers: PepsiCo is the first major US CPG company to disclose its use of autonomous delivery trucks, with 35 vehicles operating across Arizona, Texas, and Arkansas. (the Wall Street Journal)

Fries or (micro)chips?: McDonald’s is giving AI-assisted drive-thrus another go with its new AI assistant Archy. (The Independent)

No small screens: Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann defended the movie theater chain’s decision to introduce mobile ordering, which has faced backlash from moviegoers. (Fast Company)

Fine print: Rocket Lawyer breaks down the fine print, flags red flags, and connects you with legal pros—on your terms. Review your contract for free.*

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