Amazon is preparing to enter the mobile payments market, reportedly working to get retailers to accept Amazon Pay as a payment method.
The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported Amazon wants the service to be expanded beyond making payments online. The paper reported that Amazon in its initial push and has been working with gas stations, restaurants and local merchants that aren’t competing directly with Amazon. A person familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that retailers may be resistant to the effort because they would view it as a threat. The move is part of Amazon’s efforts to be a part of every aspect of consumers’ lives.
The paper noted it is not clear how customers will use Amazon Pay in physical stores. One idea is that they will scan a code on their phones. Other options are being looked at as well, noted the Wall Street Journal. Amazon will be battling a formidable player in the payments market given Apple said Apple Pay was accepted at more than 5 million in-store locations as of May.
Amazon’s push into digital payments comes at a time when U.S. consumers have been slow to embrace digital wallets. Citing the Nilson Report, the WSJ reported that digital payments accounted for less than 1 percent of all card transactions in the U.S. in 2017. Amazon is also setting its sights on Asia for its digital payments push, given that region is a huge user of mobile payments apps such as Alipay and WeChat Pay. Amazon wants to first gain market share in the U.S. where competition isn’t as fierce. The Wall Street Journal noted that Amazon is offering perks such as lower payment-processing fees or marketing services to get merchants to accept its digital wallet. That could work, noted the report. After all, rising interchange or swipe fees are accounting for a big portion of the costs and is something that retailers and credit card companies have battled over in the past. The report noted that for the 12 months through March of 2018, 14 percent of online shoppers in the U.S. used Amazon Pay outside of its website to make an online or mobile payment. That was down from the previous year, noted the WSJ, citing a survey from Bernstein Research.
The Wall Street Journal reported that in addition to working with merchants, Amazon has also been looking at ways to bring Amazon Pay to Whole Foods and is working to enable Alexa, its voice-activated digital assistant, an in-store payments platform.
As the calendar flips to March, college basketball fans are gearing up for another exhilarating NCAA tournament.
In the future, artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology could change March Madness as we know it. Let’s break down how the digital revolution could transform the Big Dance.
AI is already being used to predict brackets. Gone are the days of agonizing over your picks based on team mascots or your alma mater’s colors. In 2025, AI-powered bracketology is the name of the game. Fans can use algorithms that crunch data points, from player statistics to historical upset probabilities, all at the click of a button.
But beware, bracket enthusiasts. While these AI tools promise to boost your chances of winning the office pool, they can’t account for the quintessential March Madness chaos. You know, the instance where AI can predict everything except the inevitable Cinderella story that ruins everyone’s bracket by the second round.
In a move that would be sure to ruffle some feathers, AI-generated commentary could be used for games. Digital play-by-play announcers would never need a bathroom break and potentially be able to recall obscure statistics from the 1957 tournament in an instant.
Can’t make it to the Final Four? Ten years from now, games might happen in a digital stadium, Forbes reported. With virtual reality (VR) technology, fans could experience the thrill of courtside seats from the comfort of their living rooms.
“AI-generated athletes, inspired by the procedural generation techniques of video game developers … could perform in virtual arenas, exhibiting strategies and plays conceived by advanced predictive algorithms,” Forbes reported.
Just be careful not to get too caught up in the moment with streaming. Wouldn’t want to have reports of fans attempting to rush the virtual court after buzzer-beaters have led to an uptick in living room injuries — especially when that flat screen falls over.
While human coaches still call the shots, AI assistants could one day be indispensable members of the coaching staff. In the next five years, these digital strategists could analyze opponent tendencies and more.
“Building on existing technologies … AI will provide coaches and players with intricate, multi-dimensional data patterns that dramatically enhance both offensive and defensive strategies,” Forbes reported. “These advanced algorithms will analyze vast datasets from numerous games to uncover hidden trends, strategic insights, and predictive cues about opponents’ potential moves.”
Say goodbye to controversial calls. Advanced computer vision systems could assist referees in making split-second decisions, from determining if a player’s toe was on the line for a three-pointer to detecting the slightest touch on a blocked shot.
The Hawk-Eye system is already used in tennis and cricket to help determine fouls, Viso.AI reported.
“This system uses a network of cameras to track the ball and then compares the trajectory of the ball to a virtual model of the playing surface,” the report said. “This system is accurate within a few millimeters, which is much more accurate than the human eye.”
As we dive into March Madness 2025, it’s clear that technology will change the way we experience the tournament. From AI-powered brackets to virtual reality arenas, the digital revolution is coming for basketball. But at its core, the magic of March Madness remains the thrill of competition, the joy of unexpected victories, and the heartbreak of last-second defeats.
So, whether you’re relying on an AI to pick your bracket this year, or screaming at a holographic referee in the future, remember to enjoy the ride. In the unpredictable world of college basketball, sometimes the best strategy is to embrace the madness — digital or otherwise.
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