In today's episode, John unpacks one of the most revealing statistics in retail right now: nearly 90% of retailers are using AI, but only a quarter have managed to make it work at scale. He explores what separates the pilots from the performers, using Tractor Supply's practical approach to AI-powered delivery routing as a standout example of getting it right. The episode also covers Google's expansion of Smart Bidding Exploration and the new Promotion Mode, and what eCommerce advertisers should know before turning them on. Plus, a look at what Google's confirmation about LLMS.txt files means for your search strategy, and how the emerging distinction between retrieval and citation in AI search is reshaping content strategy for eCommerce brands.

- The AI execution gap: why adoption isn't the same as operationalisation

- Tractor Supply's AI-powered last-mile delivery scaling

- Google Smart Bidding Exploration and Promotion Mode for eCommerce

- LLMS.txt files and Google Search: what you need to know

- Retrieval vs. citation in AI search and why it matters for product visibility

- Consumer sentiment rises but caution persists

- Shopify Hydrogen 2026.4.4 patch updates

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