But would a new FTC chair under President-elect Donald Trump take a different view of the merger between the two grocery store companies?

Firms that sell subscriptions can count on significant revenue boosts from consumer spaciness. It helps if customers have to jump through hoops once they realize they’re shelling out for a product they don’t need. 

“We need to make sure the market knows that there is no exemption for AI,” says Lina Khan of the Federal Trade Commission.