Geopolitical Pressure and the Rise of Agentic Commerce

Good morning. I'm Cole Mercer. We're beginning today with what is, well, a significant escalation in the Caribbean. Following that January 3rd raid on Caracas that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro, the United States is now focusing its full attention on Cuba. President Trump has issued a very blunt warning to Havana to make a deal, you know, before it is too late. And I'm Marcus Shaw. It's an intense start to the week, Cole, for sure. While the geopolitical map is being redrawn, we are also seeing this major shift in the retail landscape. Walmart is teaming up with Google Gemini to fundamentally change how we shop. It's really a transition from a click and buttons to actually talking to intelligent agents. Right. But looking back at the Caribbean, the situation in Cuba is rapidly deteriorating due to energy shortages. For decades, Venezuela has served as a lifeline for the island, providing, I mean, roughly 35,000 barrels of oil per day. With Maduro in custody and the U.S. military seizing oil tankers, that lifeline has been severed. Trump stated on social media that there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba, calling the security services Cuba provided to Venezuela the work of extortionists. Yeah, it sounds like a total resource lockout. From a tactical perspective, cutting off the fuel supply is a massive move. I noticed the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, hit back, saying they have the right to import fuel without interference. But, I mean, with the U.S. Navy active in the region, that is much easier said than done. Exactly, Marcus Shaw. The administration is framing this under a revived and rebranded 1823 Monroe Doctrine, which they are now calling the Don Row Doctrine. This policy asserts total U.S. supremacy in the Western Hemisphere. we are seeing this pressure extend beyond Cuba, too, with warnings also being issued to the leaders of Colombia and Mexico regarding drug trafficking and a military cooperation. It's fascinating how these global power moves are happening right as the tech world is reaching a new level of integration. Speaking of strategy, Walmart is playing a very smart game right now. They just announced a partnership with Google Gemini at the National Retail Federation's Big Show. This comes only months after they did a similar deal with OpenAI's ChatGPT. So, it seems Walmart is ensuring they are not dependent on a single AI provider. In defense, we call that multi-sourcing to avoid a single point of failure. How does this actually look for the average consumer, Marcus Shaw? It's all about reducing friction. Imagine you are talking to Gemini on your phone and you say you want to host a game night. Instead of searching for snacks and controllers separately on an app, the AI agent suggests the items and lets you buy them right there via instant checkout. You never leave the chat. Incoming Walmart CEO John Furner said they are trying to, I mean, close the gap between I want it and I have it. Closing that gap is a priority in logistics and supply chain management as well. Furner mentioned that this represents the next great evolution in retail, moving toward agent-led commerce. Does this mean their internal tools like the Sparky chatbot are going away? Not at all. Sparky is still their specialized in-app assistant, but the Google deal lets them meet customers earlier in the journey. If you are already using Gemini for your daily tasks, Walmart wants to be right there inside that ecosystem. It is agentic AI. These bots are becoming more than just search engines. They are becoming personal shoppers with the power to execute transactions. The implications for the workforce are also worth noting. With Walmart being the largest private employer in the US, outgoing CEO Doug McMillan has been clear that AI will change literally every job in the company. In the security sector, we see similar shifts, where AI handles the data processing, allowing humans to focus on higher-level decision-making. It really is a transformative moment. Whether it's a gamer using an AI to optimize their hardware, or a shopper using Gemini to restock their pantry, the tech is becoming invisible and ubiquitous. But, Comercer, the geopolitical side of this still feels very volatile. The mention of Marco Rubio possibly becoming a leader in a post-deal Cuba is a massive story on its own. Indeed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the Cuban government should be, well, very concerned. With the Don Roe Doctrine in full effect, the administration is making it clear that the status quo in Latin America is no longer acceptable. We will be watching the fuel levels in Havana closely this week. And we will be keeping an eye on how these AI agents start appearing in our daily apps. It's a brave new world on both fronts. Thank you for joining us today on Neural Newscast. Stay informed. Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed. View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com. We will see you next time.