Albertsons Deploys Google Cloud’s New Conversational Commerce Agent

Food and drug retailer Albertsons Cos. has become the first retailer to deploy Google Cloud’s new Conversational Commerce agent, an artificial intelligence (AI) shopping assistant.

Albertsons Cos. is leveraging this solution in an Ask AI tool that is accessible via the search bar in the apps of all its banner stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme and Tom Thumb, the companies said in a Wednesday (Sept. 10) press release.

Jill Pavlovich, senior vice president, digital customer experience at Albertson Cos., said in the release that Ask AI provides “personalized interaction and intuitive guidance.”

“By collaborating with Google Cloud to bring Conversational Commerce agent to market, we are providing our customers a solution that moves beyond traditional search to help them digitally shop across aisles, plan quick meal ideas, discover new products and even recommend unexpected items that pair well together,” Pavlovich said.

The Conversational Commerce agent is designed for business-to-consumer retailers, ranging from grocers to home improvement stores, according to the release.

Built on Google Cloud’s Vertex AI development platform, the AI-powered shopping assistant detects shoppers’ intent and preferences, engages in real-time, back-and-forth conversation, and surfaces relevant results and recommendations, the release said.

Early results from the use of the agent at Albertsons Cos. show that 85% of customers using Ask AI begin with open-ended or exploratory questions and that they often add one or more additional items to their cart after uncovering them via the agent, per the release.

“The future of retail is personal, predictive and effortless, and AI is the key to unlocking it,” Paul Tepfenhart, global director of retail at Google Cloud, said in the release. “Albertsons has been a phenomenal partner, helping us push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI.”

In a Google Cloud blog post announcing the availability of Conversational Commerce, Director, Product Management Sachin Padwal and Senior Product Manager Shray Gulati wrote that the digital platform is “designed to engage shoppers in natural, human-like conversations to guide them from initial intent to a completed purchase.”

PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster wrote in May that shopping engines are positioned to become invisible sales conversion engines.

“Their strength as a conversational interface, capable of understanding complex requests, makes them well-suited to complete purchases without users ever visiting a physical or digital store or leaving the conversation,” Webster wrote.