COMMERCE / A DEEPER LOOK
How does AI shopping change the work commerce companies control?
Compare the selected partnerships ↓AI partnerships divide discovery, purchasing and service in different ways. Compare four selected configurations to see what each participant handles.[1]
← Return to the industry mapFour selected configurations demonstrate the method; they are not the whole Commerce research.
CHOOSE THE ARRANGEMENTS
How does each partnership change the customer journey and division of work?
The selected arrangements show where customers shop, which company completes the purchase and which services remain connected.
“Before” isolates direct merchant and provider routes. “With” adds the selected dated configurations. Switching one off removes its overlay; it does not simulate a termination or predict what firms would do next.
READ THE CHANGE
Scope and analytical basis
The structural reference separates the activities involved in a purchase. Each configuration carries its recorded date. OpenAI–Instacart payment continuity after March 2026 is unresolved; the Google–Instacart configuration records its own operating responsibilities.
APPLY THE RESEARCH
Assess what these partnerships mean for your position.
Work through the capabilities, contributions and terms that could strengthen your business—or commission a focused investigation.
Sources and notes
Case evidence. Partnerships Observatory, reconciled Commerce research, cutoff 7 October 2026: 81 dated episode/role records across 58 direct case bundles, including historical, planned and specification material. The displayed record disclosures retain the original source passages, dates and unresolved allocations.