THG Ingenuity has launched a new AI shopping agent in collaboration with Google Cloud,
The conversational AI has been designed to offer a “highly personalised shopping experience”, with early pilot data revealing its ability to up customer engagement and drive commercial growth.
The assistant is said to be able to understand individual needs, product catalogues, and brand nuances. Using Google Cloud’s conversational AI technology, including the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, it provides real-time, context-aware product discovery and answers frequently asked questions.
The ecommerce solutions provider says this “deep integration” ensures the AI persona is brand-specific, reflecting a unique tone of voice and product logic, therefore enhancing product “discoverability” across ecommerce.
In a pilot with Myprotein, the assistant has delivered an eight-times higher conversion rate (CVR) compared to the brand’s site average, leading to an average order value (AOV) uplift of 20.8%. Returning buyers also drove a 4.61% increase in CVR and a 9.6% AOV uplift.
Jo Drake, CTO – platform at THG Ingenuity said the technology marks a significant leap in personalised ecommerce.
“By providing an intelligent, bespoke shopping companion, we are not only streamlining the customer journey, but also empowering brands to cultivate deeper relationships with their consumers,” she continued.
“The impressive metrics from our initial deployments validate our commitment to innovation and highlight the transformative potential of AI in ecommerce.”
Platforms such as ChatGPT and Claude have already sparked a new way of shopping, with consumers using platforms to create recipes and even to shop for them. Adobe data shows AI-referred users consistently spending more time on site.
Retailers have responded quickly, with Walmarts’ launch of Sparky – a GenAI-powered shopping assistant – rolling out across its digital storefront last year. Tesco has also announced AI prompts via its loyalty card programme, giving customers “individual recommendations, ideas and deals”.
While IGD has noted the opportunities AI holds for retail, it warns products risk becoming invisible as agents begin to fill consumer baskets.
