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A UBS analysis discovered that artificial intelligence chatbots and recommendation engines consistently steer users toward Walmart when shopping preferences are left to AI, highlighting an emerging competitive battleground in retail. The finding suggests that e-commerce and shopping platforms' AI systems may be driving traffic to specific retailers based on algorithm selection and training. The study points to a growing market dynamic where control over AI recommendation engines could become a decisive competitive advantage in retail, as consumers increasingly delegate shopping decisions to AI assistants rather than conducting independent research.