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  • Samsung opens ChatGPT Enterprise and Codex access after AI restrictions

    Samsung Electronics is expanding employee access to ChatGPT Enterprise and Codex, giving staff wider use of AI tools for technical and non-technical work.

    According to OpenAI, the deployment covers all Samsung Electronics employees in Korea and all Device eXperience employees worldwide. The DX division includes smartphones, consumer electronics, and home appliances.

    Samsung plans to use the tools in software development, marketing, product development, manufacturing, and other business functions. The tools will support tasks such as information search, document drafting, idea development, data interpretation, and code-related work.

    Samsung revisits employee AI use

    The rollout comes three years after Samsung restricted employee use of generative AI tools over data-security concerns. In 2023, the company limited the use of ChatGPT and similar tools after concerns that sensitive internal information had been uploaded to an external AI platform.

    The new deployment gives employees access to ChatGPT Enterprise, which includes controls for data protection, user access, and security management. OpenAI said the enterprise version allows organisations to manage users, apply access controls, and use AI tools within internal security requirements.

    Samsung’s earlier restrictions applied to employee use of ChatGPT and similar generative AI tools. The new rollout gives employees access through an enterprise product with data protection and access controls.

    Samsung has not limited the deployment to a single business unit or technical group. OpenAI said the tools will be used across a broad range of functions, including technical and non-technical teams.

    OpenAI said ChatGPT can support knowledge-based tasks such as searching for information, analysing material, drafting documents, developing ideas, and interpreting data.

    Codex for technical and non-technical work

    Codex will be used for software-related tasks such as writing, reviewing, and debugging code. OpenAI said the tool is also being used for internal tools, websites, software prototypes, and automated workflows.

    OpenAI said Codex can also support non-technical teams in day-to-day work, including by helping employees create internal tools and automated workflows.

    OpenAI said Codex now has more than five million weekly users across technical and non-technical workflows. In Korea, weekly active users of Codex have grown nearly 800% since February 1, 2026, according to the company.

    Harrison Kim, general manager of OpenAI Korea, said the agreement is one of OpenAI’s largest enterprise deployments. He said Samsung is using AI across teams and functions rather than limiting it to specific departments.

    In October 2025, Samsung said it would work with OpenAI as a strategic memory partner for the Stargate AI infrastructure initiative, with OpenAI’s memory demand projected to reach up to 900,000 DRAM wafers per month.

    Samsung SDS also entered a potential partnership with OpenAI to jointly develop AI data centres and provide enterprise AI services. Samsung said the agreement would allow Samsung SDS to provide consulting, deployment, and management services for businesses integrating OpenAI models into internal systems.

    Samsung SDS also signed a reseller partnership to offer OpenAI services in Korea. Under that arrangement, Samsung SDS said it would support Korean companies adopting ChatGPT Enterprise and other OpenAI services.

    Reuters reported that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix had signed letters of intent to supply memory chips for OpenAI’s Stargate project. The report said the two South Korean chipmakers together account for about 70% of the global DRAM market and nearly 80% of the high-bandwidth memory market.

    High-bandwidth memory supports fast data movement between memory and processors in AI systems. Reuters reported that OpenAI’s chip demand for Stargate may reach 900,000 wafers per month, citing South Korea’s presidential office.

    Samsung said its semiconductor businesses would support OpenAI’s demand with advanced memory solutions. The company also said its affiliates were exploring broader work with OpenAI in areas including data centres, enterprise services, and AI infrastructure.

    AI adoption and productivity

    Deloitte’s 2026 State of AI in the Enterprise report found that 66% of organisations reported productivity or efficiency gains from enterprise AI adoption. The same report found that 53% reported improved insights and decision-making.

    A Bpifrance survey reported by Reuters found that 77% of 534 French mid-sized company heads said their firms used generative AI, but only 17% of those using it reported time savings.

    Samsung has identified use cases across document work, information analysis, coding, product development, marketing, and manufacturing. The deployment gives employees access to ChatGPT Enterprise and Codex for those tasks under a company-wide agreement.

    OpenAI’s Korea partnerships

    OpenAI has also announced other partnerships in Korea. Seoul National University recently began providing ChatGPT Edu to 47,000 students, faculty, and staff.

    OpenAI has also worked with Kakao to bring ChatGPT responses into KakaoTalk group chats. The company said Korean organisations including LG Electronics, LG Uplus, LG CNS, GS E&C, Samsung SDS, TVING, Krafton, Toss, MUSINSA, Korea Zinc, Nexen Tire, and HanaTour are using ChatGPT Enterprise, OpenAI APIs, or Codex.

    (Photo by Zulfugar Karimov)

    See also: Omio scales travel product development using OpenAI models

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  • L’Oréal brings Maybelline virtual try-on to ChatGPT

    L’Oréal has announced a collaboration with OpenAI that will bring Maybelline New York’s virtual makeup try-on feature into ChatGPT.

    The announcement was made at VivaTech 2026. The partnership covers consumer-facing shopping tools, product discovery, advertising pilots, research, and internal content production. The collaboration also covers L’Oréal’s internal use of AI in research, formulation, content production, and employee tools.

    OpenAI said in 2026 that ChatGPT had more than 900 million weekly active users and more than 50 million subscribers.

    Maybelline try-on comes to ChatGPT

    Maybelline’s Makeup Virtual Try-On will be available directly within ChatGPT. The feature will use L’Oréal’s ModiFace technology, which allows users to test makeup looks digitally through a conversational interface.

    ModiFace is L’Oréal’s augmented reality and AI beauty technology business. L’Oréal acquired the Canadian company in 2018 to expand its digital beauty services across areas such as virtual makeup try-on, hair colour try-on, and augmented reality shopping.

    L’Oréal’s 2025 Annual Report said its Beauty Tech services had more than 120 million uses across 66 countries and 31 brands by the end of 2025.

    Product discovery and advertising

    L’Oréal will also work with OpenAI to improve how its products are surfaced in ChatGPT in the United States. The company said the work will cover brands including Lancôme and Kérastase.

    L’Oréal said the ChatGPT work also includes product discovery. The company said e-commerce grew by double digits in 2025 and passed 30% of sales. Several L’Oréal brands are also involved in OpenAI’s global ChatGPT advertising pilot. They include SkinCeuticals, CeraVe, and Garnier. The programme focuses on ads within AI-assisted consumer interactions.

    L’Oréal described the pilot as focused on AI-native advertising at moments of consumer intent and commerce. The company has not provided further operational details on how the ad placements will appear inside ChatGPT.

    AI use in research and formulation

    The partnership also extends to L’Oréal’s research work. The company said it is using GPT-Rosalind, OpenAI’s life sciences reasoning model, to map the skin microbiome.

    OpenAI launched GPT-Rosalind as a model for life sciences research tasks, including evidence synthesis and experimental planning. L’Oréal said it is applying the model to skin microbiome research, starting with La Roche-Posay. The skin microbiome refers to the community of microbes that live on the skin. L’Oréal said the work is aimed at identifying beneficial bacteria that can support the development of new skincare products.

    L’Oréal’s 2025 Annual Report also cited AI work in formulation science. L’Oréal Research & Innovation and IBM are developing a Formulation Foundation Model for beauty formulation.

    L’Oréal has also worked with NVIDIA on AI development and deployment. The company has said the partnership covers areas including 3D product rendering and predictive formulation science.

    Internal AI tools

    OpenAI’s latest model will also be used in CreAItech, L’Oréal’s internal generative AI content platform. The platform is designed to create images and videos while reflecting the visual identity and history of L’Oréal’s brands.

    CreAItech is used by L’Oréal teams for beauty content creation. The OpenAI model support will apply to image and video generation.

    Asmita Dubey, L’Oréal’s chief digital and marketing officer, said the company wants to use AI to support consumers and employees. She also cited its use across marketing and research.

    Emmanuel Marill, OpenAI’s managing director for EMEA, said the work with L’Oréal covers research and employee tools, as well as consumer-facing services.

    The collaboration forms part of L’Oréal’s wider AI programme. The company said the programme covers consumer tools and internal work across marketing and research. L’Oréal said 73,000 employees have already been trained in generative AI. The company has also introduced internal tools including L’OréalGPT and personal AI companions.

    The announcement coincides with L’Oréal’s 10th year at VivaTech.

    (Photo by Helio E. López Vega)

    See also: Microsoft sells OpenAI models in China. OpenAI and Anthropic won’t.

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  • HSBC expands AI banking partnership with Google Cloud

    HSBC has entered a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud to develop and deploy artificial intelligence tools across its global operations.

    Announced at Google Cloud Summit London 2026, the agreement covers work in wealth management, financial crime risk management, and internal decision support. HSBC will work with Google Cloud and Google DeepMind engineering teams on AI tools and programmes using Gemini models and the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform.

    AI rollout across HSBC

    HSBC expects the partnership to support more than 200 AI use cases over the next two years. Selected initiatives could each return more than US$100 million through direct revenue gains or efficiency improvements, according to the bank.

    HSBC had existing AI deployments before the Google Cloud agreement. In its 2025 Strategic Report, the bank said it had more than 100 active generative AI use cases and was increasing AI partnerships.

    HSBC says it has more than 600 AI use cases across the group. These include fraud detection, cyber security, transaction monitoring, customer service, and risk assessment. More than 600 HSBC applications already run on Google Cloud.

    A 2026 Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance report found that 71% of surveyed industry respondents were adopting generative AI, while 52% were adopting agentic AI.

    Existing AI work

    HSBC announced a separate multi-year partnership with Mistral AI in December 2025. The agreement gives the bank access to Mistral AI’s commercial models. HSBC said the models would support internal tools, financial analysis, multilingual reasoning, translation, and prototyping.

    HSBC has listed other generative AI uses in credit analysis, customer support, document analysis, and text assistance. CIO Dive reported in February that 85% of HSBC employees had access to generative AI tools.

    The report also said the bank was assessing the technology across 50 processes, including fraud detection and credit applications.

    Financial crime detection

    The Google Cloud agreement follows earlier AI work between HSBC and Google in financial crime detection. HSBC has previously said it partnered with Google to co-develop Dynamic Risk Assessment, an AI system used to check for financial crime.

    HSBC said the system was piloted in 2021 and found two to four times more financial crime than previous methods. Google Cloud has said HSBC screens more than 1.2 billion transactions each month for signs of financial crime.

    Under the new partnership, HSBC will use generative AI and agentic AI in financial crime risk management. The bank expects the tools to help it intervene twice as fast when risk is detected across the nearly one billion transactions it monitors each month.

    Wealth and staff tools

    In wealth management, HSBC plans to combine AI-generated insights with the work of relationship managers. The bank said the tools are intended to support financial advice and client service.

    HSBC said it will expand an AI-powered decision assistant already used by thousands of employees. The tool has reduced administrative work and client meeting preparation from hours to minutes, according to the bank.

    HSBC has applied generative AI in software development. More than 20,000 developers are using coding assistants, with a 15% efficiency gain in time spent coding, according to the bank.

    HSBC plans to use AI to organise regulatory procedures into a structured format. The bank said this would provide employees with options and analysis for decision-making while keeping human judgement involved.

    AI leadership

    In March, HSBC announced that David Rice would become its first Chief AI Officer, effective 1 April. HSBC said the role was created to oversee AI adoption across the group.

    Georges Elhedery, Group CEO of HSBC, said the bank is using AI to create more personalised customer experiences while retaining human judgement and accountability.

    Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said the partnership would support HSBC’s AI work through Gemini, the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, and Google DeepMind’s research expertise.

    See also: Visa ChatGPT integration enables AI agent retail purchasing

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    The post HSBC expands AI banking partnership with Google Cloud appeared first on AI News.

  • Insurers pivot AI strategy toward core risk underwriting

    AI investments by insurers are now expected to generate tangible business value beyond mere efficiency.

    According to findings in the 2026 Evident AI Index, insurers are now embedding AI technologies into workflows that directly influence underwriting discipline and capital allocation.

    Christian Preece, Insurance Director at Evident, says: “For years, insurers have competed on AI ambition, but now the focus is shifting from what insurers are building to the value they’re creating. In itself, it’s a sign of AI maturity to have the internal capability to measure these figures and be confident enough to disclose them.

    “As the first industry leaders disclose hard return on investment data, they’re providing the kind of evidence that shareholders and boards have been looking for in light of increasing concerns around the costs of AI, and we can expect to see more insurers going public in the coming year.”

    While the broader insurance workforce experienced a contraction of 2.2 percent over the past year, the AI-specialist headcount expanded by 32 percent across the 30 insurers tracked in the report. This personnel shift highlights a transition from building data foundations to the integration and optimisation of business-specific AI use cases.

    Data engineering remains a component of this investment, yet its relative share of the talent stack is declining as roles focused on AI development and software implementation gain priority. AI specialists now represent one in every 50 employees at insurers included in the Index.

    Executive structures are also adapting to these requirements. Nearly 40 percent of the insurers indexed now designate a senior leader with explicit responsibility for AI. Most of these appointments occurred within the last 12 months, creating a new level of executive oversight for AI-driven growth.

    This governance is vital as firms shift from isolated point solutions toward agentic AI systems that coordinate actions across multiple stages of the policy administration and claims lifecycle. Notably, the adoption of agentic AI has surged, with one in four newly disclosed use cases now showing evidence of agentic orchestration, compared to one in twenty only six months prior.

    Zurich sets an example

    Zurich serves as an example of this transition, rising from 12th position to 4th in the global rankings by emphasising a shared platform model over decentralised experimentation.

    The insurance giant deployed ZurichIQ, a modular generative AI platform integrated into underwriting, claims, legal, and service operations. This architecture provides a unified environment for various functional tools, such as PolicyIQ for contract comparisons and GuidelinelQ for enforcing underwriting standards.

    Hurdles in such deployments typically involve maintaining oversight across diverse business lines. Zurich manages these risks through a dedicated committee that governs AI investment and model risk management. The platform approach allows the insurer to push AI capabilities into daily production while maintaining a consistent governance framework, which is reinforced by internal training programs like the £1.3m AI apprenticeship initiative.

    Ericson Chan, Group Chief Information & Digital Officer at Zurich, said: “Being recognised as the biggest AI growth insurer in the Evident AI Index is not simply a reflection of technology adoption; it signals a broader transformation from use cases to enterprise-wide execution and change.

    “This recognition reinforces our conviction in our AI360 strategy, embedding intelligence into workflows, decisions, and customer outcomes across the value chain. AI is no longer a technology initiative. It is becoming Zurich’s operating system.”

    Focus on risk selection and ROI

    With claims typically accounting for 60 to 80 percent of premium income, even minor improvements in fraud detection and risk selection produce a disproportionate financial impact compared to general administrative cost reduction.

    Insurers are now directing venture capital and internal innovation efforts toward data sources that enable more dynamic analysis of climate volatility and cyber threats. A critical marker of this maturity is the ability to quantify and disclose financial returns.

    Manulife, Generali, and Intact Financial have led this effort, publicly reporting AI-driven value. Projections indicate these three firms will generate over $1 billion in AI-driven value by the end of their respective reporting periods. This transparency provides the hard data shareholders demand regarding the costs of AI deployment, effectively mandating more rigorous performance measurement across the sector.

    Success in the next phase of industry adoption depends on the ability to translate these technical investments into better underwriting results. Market leaders Allianz (which now holds the largest AI talent pool in the industry and has registered 900 AI use cases worldwide) and AXA maintain top positions by demonstrating sustained investment across innovation, talent, and transparency pillars.

    Barbara Karuth-Zelle, Member of the Board of Management and Group COO at Allianz, commented: “AI didn’t change our ambition. It accelerates how we deliver on it at scale.

    “Behind this ranking are thousands of moments: a claim processed faster, a customer experience reimagined, a partner better connected, a colleague freed up for what truly matters. And we are determined to keep going—an inspiring, transformative journey.”

    See also: Accenture: Consumers show growing trust in AI shopping agents

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    AI News is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.

    The post Insurers pivot AI strategy toward core risk underwriting appeared first on AI News.

  • Accenture: Consumers show growing trust in AI shopping agents

    Consumers are showing a willingness to let AI agents take on more shopping-related tasks, according to new research from Accenture.

    The company’s 2026 Consumer Pulse Research, based on a survey of 25,590 consumers across 16 countries, found that 74% of respondents would trust a personal AI agent more than their best friend to make a purchase on their behalf.

    The report described this as a move beyond the use of chatbots or search tools. In this context, an AI agent refers to software that can act on a consumer’s behalf within set permissions. It can shop, negotiate, resolve complaints, manage subscriptions, and, in some cases, complete purchases.

    Consumers are ready to delegate

    The survey found that 74% of consumers would allow an AI agent to handle routine tasks. These include deal negotiation, complaint resolution, subscription renewals, and product reorders.

    Accenture said this level of delegation does not mean consumers are ready to hand over every decision. Instead, the findings suggest that consumers are more open to delegating parts of shopping that feel repetitive, time-consuming, or low-risk.

    The report also found that 32% of consumers would ask an AI agent to make a purchase decision on their behalf within defined limits. These limits could include budget and brand preferences, with other conditions set by the user.

    In that scenario, the AI agent would choose the best available option, but the consumer would still review and approve the purchase before payment. The report categorised this as delegated decision-making, separate from task execution and autonomous purchasing.

    Autonomy still has limits

    A smaller group of consumers is open to AI agents completing purchases without final approval. The report found that 9% of respondents would allow an agent to initiate and complete purchases within defined boundaries.

    The payment stage recorded lower openness to autonomous agent decisions. Accenture said only 12% of consumers are open to agents making purchase decisions autonomously at the payment stage.

    The report identified several conditions that affect consumer willingness to delegate more control. These include data safeguards, configurable permissions, and instant override options. Clear recourse, platform reputation, and perceived neutrality also affect trust.

    Consumers are more comfortable with AI agent autonomy in parts of the journey where effort is high and emotional stakes are lower. The report pointed to negotiation and post-purchase support as areas where consumers showed greater openness.

    The report said recurring services ranked highest across stages of delegation, while lifestyle and travel purchases showed a sharper drop as autonomy increased.

    It also said consumers are more likely to keep control over choices linked to identity or personal enjoyment. A consumer may delegate routine grocery restocking but still want to choose a hotel room, clothing item, or experience directly.

    What it means for brands

    The report said AI-assisted shopping requires brands and retailers to make product information clear and machine-readable. If consumers use agents to compare options, pricing, availability, policies, and claims will also need to be easy for agents to assess.

    AI agents can compare brands using structured attributes and verified claims. They can also weigh price-to-value ratios and fulfilment records. The report said this affects how brands appear across digital channels, including search engines, marketplaces, and social platforms.

    The report found that 56% of all consumers would tell their AI agent which brands to consider. Among behaviorally loyal consumers, 37% said they would allow an agent to switch brands if it found a better fit.

    The report linked brand switching to factors such as fit, price, availability, and service performance.

    Accenture also found that consumers are interested in agents that can work across providers. The report said 61% want an agent that can shop across multiple grocery retailers on their behalf, while 71% want an agent that can plan and book a complete trip across airlines, hotels, and activities.

    Brands and retailers need product data, pricing, availability, policies, and claims to be readable by the systems agents use to evaluate options, according to the report.

    The main reasons cited were existing knowledge of shopping preferences, trust built through service and support, and access to a broad selection of products and services.

    The report listed several possible roles for brands and retailers in AI-assisted commerce. Some may build their own agents, while others may integrate data, inventory, and services into platforms that consumers already use.

    The report cited verified information, clear inventory, transparent pricing, and reliable fulfilment data as factors that can help agents evaluate brands more easily.

    It also found that 71% of consumers expect generative AI to influence at least half of their spending decisions over the next 12 months.

    The report also found that 63% of consumers want agents to shop for their “idealised self.” Examples include helping them make healthier choices or stay within budget. Some respondents also want agents to support more intentional upgrades.

    Among active generative AI users, 26% said they had already bought a more expensive item because AI increased their confidence in the decision. The same proportion said AI had led them to increase their basket size.

    Stores still matter

    The survey also asked consumers how AI could affect stores. It found that 87% believe AI will affect the role of stores. Another 31% said stores will become more important for creating moments of enjoyment.

    The findings show lower openness to full automation than to routine task delegation. It shows a more selective pattern, with consumers delegating routine or lower-risk tasks while retaining control over purchases that involve personal preference, risk, or emotional value.

    The report said some brand evaluation could take place inside agent-led comparison systems before consumers visit a website, app, or store.

    (Photo by Growtika)

    See also: Visa ChatGPT integration enables AI agent retail purchasing

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    AI News is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.

    The post Accenture: Consumers show growing trust in AI shopping agents appeared first on AI News.

  • McDonald’s tests Google-backed AI drive-thru ordering system

    McDonald’s is testing a new AI system that can take drive-thru orders and support restaurant operations.

    The system, called ArchIQ and nicknamed “Archy,” was introduced during the company’s Worldwide convention, according to Restaurant Business. It is being tested at five McDonald’s locations in the United States, though the company has not named the restaurants involved.

    A video shared on X by a McDonald’s franchise owner showed the system greeting customers, processing order changes, displaying the final total, and asking customers to pull ahead for pickup.

    A demonstration shared on X by the franchisee account McFranchisee showed the system taking orders in English and Spanish. The account said the system has processed more than one million transactions, with about 90% of orders completed without being escalated to staff.

    The same account said ArchIQ can respond when repeat customers ask for their usual order. McDonald’s has not provided technical details on how that feature works.

    ArchIQ is being developed with Google. According to McFranchisee, McDonald’s restaurants in the US are receiving Google Edge Cloud blades ahead of the rollout.

    McDonald’s previous AI ordering test

    ArchIQ is McDonald’s latest AI test for drive-thru ordering. The company previously worked with IBM on an automated ordering system across more than 100 restaurants.

    McDonald’s ended that pilot in 2024 after customer complaints over order errors. The earlier IBM test was followed by customer videos showing incorrect orders, including one case in which the system reportedly added more than $250 worth of chicken nuggets.

    After ending the IBM partnership, McDonald’s said it would continue exploring voice ordering technology.

    Restaurant operations support

    ArchIQ is not limited to customer ordering. McFranchisee said it can monitor restaurants and alert managers to possible issues.

    According to McFranchisee, the system can alert managers if a freezer is down. It can also flag kitchen bottlenecks or other problems that need attention.

    McFranchisee described ArchIQ as both an ordering tool and a management-support tool.

    The test forms part of McDonald’s new growth plan, called “McDonald’s > NEXT.” The company said the plan is intended to improve restaurant operations and unit economics.

    McDonald’s reported a large digital customer base in its 2025 results. The company said systemwide sales to loyalty members across 70 markets rose 20% to nearly US$37 billion in 2025, while 90-day active loyalty users rose 19% to nearly 210 million at year-end.

    McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a press release that the strategy is aimed at the company’s next phase of growth and productivity.

    The company has also referenced restaurant upgrades and possible menu changes under the same plan, but has not provided detailed information.

    Automation and service

    In a company memo, Kempczinski said more of the customer journey is becoming automated, leaving fewer chances for guests to interact with crew members. He said that it raises the standard for hospitality when customers interact with staff.

    QSR Magazine’s 2025 Drive-Thru Report, citing Revenue Management Solutions, said drive-thru traffic remained negative month after month and hovered between minus 5% and minus 8% in 2025.

    Other fast-food chains have also announced AI-powered drive-thru ordering systems, including Taco Bell and Wendy’s.

    Jonathan Maze, editor-in-chief of Restaurant Business, told ABC News that companies often present drive-thru automation as a way to free employees for other tasks. The McFranchisee account said the system could reduce the need for workers to take orders in noisy drive-thru lanes.

    Some X users responding to the ArchIQ demonstration said they preferred interacting with human workers. Others supported a more automated ordering process.

    McDonald’s has not said when ArchIQ could be expanded beyond the five test locations. The company has said the system is intended to improve speed and accuracy while supporting customers and crew.

    The company’s AI drive-thru system remains in limited testing.

    (Photo by Boshoku)

    See also: Walmart’s AI workflows meet the realities of the balance sheet

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    The post McDonald’s tests Google-backed AI drive-thru ordering system appeared first on AI News.

  • DeepSeek Value Rises To $45bn In First Funding Round

    China’s biggest state-backed chip investment fund reportedly in talks to lead AI start-up’s funding round, as valuation more than doubles

  • France’s Genesis AI Debuts First Model, Shows Robotic Hand

    Start-up Genesis AI backed by former Google chief Eric Schmidt builds model to power robots for delicate or complex tasks

  • FinTech and Agentic Commerce: When AI Becomes the Customer

    Agentic commerce is transforming FinTech as AI agents autonomously discover, negotiate and complete transactions on behalf of customers

  • Weis Markets adds Instacart AI-powered shopping carts to stores

    Weis Markets is adding Instacart’s AI-powered shopping carts, Caper Carts, to select stores in Pennsylvania, bringing digital coupons, loyalty features, and repeat-purchase recommendations into the grocery aisle.

    The Pennsylvania-based grocery chain is working with Instacart to deploy the smart carts, which include cameras, certified scales, location systems, and a touchscreen.

    According to Instacart, Caper Carts use basket-facing camera sensors, outward-facing cameras, certified scales, and location-tracking systems to support item recognition and checkout functions. The system combines edge computing on the carts with cloud AI trained on more than 1.6 billion online grocery orders.

    Shoppers can use the cart screen to monitor spending during their trip. They can also access location-based digital coupons directly from the cart.

    Weis customers can sign up for a Weis Rewards account through the cart and redeem loyalty benefits while shopping. Customers who link their accounts can also use a Buy It Again feature, which shows items they have previously purchased.

    Weis and Instacart already work together on online grocery services. In 2023, Weis partnered with Instacart to offer same-day delivery from 133 locations in Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware.

    Instacart expands Caper Cart rollout

    The Weis rollout adds to Instacart’s wider Caper Cart deployment. The company says the carts now span more than 100 cities across 15 states.

    Caper Carts are available across more than a dozen retail banners, including Kroger, Schnucks, and Wakefern banners such as ShopRite and Fairway Market.

    Earlier deployments have produced some store-level usage data. Retail Dive reported that Schnucks data showed Caper Carts handled more than 10% of sales on busy days at one store. That store had 10 Caper Carts and around 160 traditional carts, according to the report.

    Greg Zeh, senior vice president and chief information officer at Weis Markets, described the carts as part of the company’s effort to improve the shopping process. He pointed to real-time spend tracking and on-cart coupons as key features.

    Instacart described the partnership as an extension of Weis Markets’ use of digital tools inside stores. David McIntosh, Instacart’s chief connected stores officer, said Caper Carts bring together in-store and online data.

    Weis adds AI to checkout operations

    Weis has also been adding AI to self-checkout. Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions said Weis completed a chainwide deployment of its ELERA Security Suite across self-checkout lanes.

    The system includes produce recognition and loss prevention tools. Toshiba says the technology uses edge AI for on-device processing.

    At the time of Toshiba’s December 2025 announcement, the system was operational across self-checkout lanes in all 199 Weis locations. Weis also reported that more than 94% of customers selected the produce recognition feature at self-checkout.

    Grocers test AI beyond checkout

    Albertsons Companies has also introduced an AI-based quality control tool for produce inspection. The system is designed to help identify moldy or damaged fruit before it reaches store shelves.

    The tool initially focuses on strawberries and red and green grapes. Albertsons says it is intended to improve quality rating consistency and support faster decision-making.

    The company also says the tool expands quality data and helps align inspections with company standards.

    Albertsons operates more than 2,000 stores, including Safeway, Jewel-Osco, and ACME. The system supports quality inspectors working in its distribution centres.

    The quality control system uses computer vision to support produce inspections across Albertsons’ store brands. It was developed in-house by the company’s technology and supply chain teams.

    Albertsons built the tool on Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise platform, including Vision AI and Gemini models. Google Cloud said it advised on the AI component used in the supply chain process.

    (Photo by Franki Chamaki)

    See also: Amazon brings AI shopping assistant to retailers with Kate Spade

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