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At a loose end

Can AI fix Stitch Fix?

The clothing subscription service posted its first quarter of sales growth in three years — now it’s doubling down on AI.

Claire Yubin Oh

8/15/25 6:49AM

Stitch Fix, the online personal styling service that sends handpicked outfits to your door, has had a rough few years.

Founded in 2011, the company’s relatively narrow appeal — to those who didn’t like clothes shopping and didn’t want to choose what they wear — widened massively during the pandemic, as shops shuttered and fashion went online. But as quickly as the hype came, it disappeared, with the SFIX’s stock dropping more than 90% between January 2021 and the summer of 2022 as customers ditched the platform for rival subscriptions, or just went back to shopping in real life again.

There are some positive signs, however, as the company posted its first top-line growth in three years, with net revenues climbing 0.7% year over year in its latest quarter. Unfortunately, its key active user figure is still dropping: falling from a pandemic-era peak of 4.3 million users, the company now counts a threadbare 2.4 million as of the end of May.

Stitch fix active user chart — Sherwood News

Now the company — which makes money by charging a $20 styling fee for all “fixes” alongside the clothes themselves — is hoping AI can help drive growth.

This week the company announced a new AI “Style Assistant” for clients, as well as new AI-powered visual tools to help you see what you might look like wearing that new scarf, sweater, or T-shirt.

Will millions of people rush out to ask an AI’s opinion of how they look in their new clothes? Considering that many already use AI as a therapist, a boyfriend/girlfriend, or a career counselor, it doesn’t feel like much of a stretch to think they’d also ask it for fashion advice.

The problem SFIX might run into is: what if ChatGPT or DeepSeek or Claude can also do this — will people open a separate AI app just for fashion? Stitch Fix’s new boss, Matt Baer, who was tasked with fixing Stitch Fix when he became CEO in June 2023, is betting the answer is yes.

Max Knoblauch1h

Electronic Arts launches a platform to put more ads in its games

Video game publishing giant EA launched a new platform on Monday designed to make the process of selling immersive ad space in its popular games easier.

The company says the platform, called EA Advertising, allows brands to “integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content.”

More so than other studios, EA has incorporated advertising into its most popular titles. As Kotaku points out, the company’s ad efforts stretch as far back as 2006. Several of its sports franchises already feature partnerships with brands like Visa, Lowe’s, Red Bull, and PepsiCo.

In-game advertising hasn’t exactly been embraced by fans, but industry experts expect it to ramp up as companies seek more revenue to offset higher games budgets and surging memory costs. EA rival Take-Two has taken a different approach, with CEO Strauss Zelnick recently saying the company was “not at risk of doing brand partnerships” in the forthcoming “Grand Theft Auto VI,” and that ads in full-price games seems “unfair.”

The $55 billion deal to take EA private, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is set to close at the end of this month. Being the largest leveraged buyout in history, EA will likely look for more ways to boost revenue to cover interest payments.

Electronic Arts Makes Push for Ad Dollars Tied to Sports

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JM Smucker says it sold $1 billion worth of Uncrustables in FY2026

After years of booming sandwich sales, JM Smucker has finally earned a billion-dollar crust.

On Tuesday, the company reported results for fiscal year 2026, highlighting better-than-expected profits driven by higher prices for coffee and sweet baked goods. However, at another point on the earnings call, CEO Mark Smucker pointed to one particularly jammy figure: in line with previous forecasts, the company sold $1 billion worth of its (almost always) crustless sandwiches, Uncrustables, in the last year alone.

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

Paramount reportedly offers concessions to resolve multistate antitrust investigation

Paramount has reportedly offered up some concessions in an effort to prevent an antitrust lawsuit by California and about 10 other states, according to Bloomberg reporting on Monday.

Reuters first reported on the potential suit from a group of unnamed states last week, which could throw a wrench in Paramount’s plans to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood megamerger.

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

Paramount Offers Concessions to Head Off State Antitrust Lawsuit

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

$98B ⛽

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

The IATA released its latest financial outlook for the airline industry over the weekend, forecasting a $98 billion jump in the sector’s collective fuel bill. The world’s largest trade group representing airlines expects the oil spike to halve profits by 49% from last year to $23 billion.

The group also expects profit margins to halve year over year, falling from 2025’s 4.2% to 2%. Still, revenue is expected to climb to $1.17 trillion from $1.07 trillion.

A surge in the cost of jet fuel has rocked US and global airlines this year, leading Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, and others to raise fares and ancillary charges like bag fees. Low-cost carriers, which operate on smaller margins, have been squeezed the hardest, resulting in Spirit’s shutdown.

“It’s a tough year for all airlines, especially those whose balance sheets had not yet recovered from COVID. And, of course, for those operating in the Gulf,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, who added that demand is holding up and about half of passengers expect to spend more on travel this year. “That bodes well for a strong northern summer peak season. The big unknown is how long travelers and shippers can tolerate the higher costs of connectivity.”

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