DoorDash's Instacart deal pushes delivery apps deeper into retail discovery — ad tech and AI shopping converge

Context

A Modern Retail podcast episode examines how delivery apps like DoorDash have evolved into discovery platforms, with DoorDash's Instacart deal cited as a marker of their expansion into retail discovery, ad tech and AI-driven shopping. The shift matters because these apps are becoming competing shelves for brands, with retail media and AI recommendations shaping what consumers find and buy. Brand and retail media teams should listen if they are reallocating spend toward delivery-app inventory.