Woolworths to use Google AI to personalise online grocery shopping
Woolworths New Zealand is working to bring AI tools from Google to its online chatbot.
Woolworths’ online chatbot is in for an upgrade, but Kiwi shoppers will have to wait for the Aussies to try it out before getting their hands on it.
A new partnership will involve Woolworths using Google’s next-generation enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its virtual assistant, “Olive”, which was launched in 2018.
Olive allows customers to search for products online, check delivery statuses and get more information about Woolworths locations.
Woolworths Group chief executive and managing director Amanda Bardwell said the company was now working with Google to get Olive to be a “more intuitive partner”.
The idea is Olive won’t just answer questions, but will anticipate shoppers’ needs by offering personalised meal plans and complimentary shopping lists.
Shoppers will also be able to upload a photo of a handwritten recipe, which the AI can interpret to identify ingredients and add them to a customer’s cart.
Olive will be able to identify specials and “smart swaps” to help shoppers save money.
Woolworths also said Olive would be able to act as a personal assistant for everything from everyday essentials to special occasions, such as planning a birthday party.
Bardwell said the technology was a global game-changer for retail.
“This is a practical innovation that’s all about us doing the heavy lifting for you, making shopping that little bit easier,” she said.
At this stage, Olive will be allowed to put items into shoppers’ baskets but won’t be able to make purchases automatically despite Google confirming the tool had that capability.
The technology upgrade is being worked on for Woolworths’ Australian customers in the first instance.
Woolworths New Zealand could not say when it would be launched here, but said it would likely come after Australian customers gained access.
Google Cloud unveiled its Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience (CX) product on Monday.
Several businesses were announced as launch partners of the new tool, including US companies Kroger and Lowe’s. Woolworths is the only Australasian company to get it at launch.
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
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