Google unveils Victoria’s Secret AI link-up, new AI tools, says UK firms embracing the tech

Google Cloud has announced a strategic partnership with Victoria’s Secret, as well as the launch of new AI products for retailers, plus new research on UK retailers showing that 81% of decision-makers feel the urgency to adopt generative AI technologies, with over half ready to deploy generative AI in the coming year. 

The Victoria’s Secret link-up will see it bringing generative AI tech to the brand’s shopping experience. The lingerie retailer will be using Google Cloud’s AI capabilities to launch a generative-AI powered conversational assistant for its website and mobile app, as well as new virtual-try-on capabilities to provide shoppers with tailored product recommendations.

As for those AI-based product launches, they include a new conversational commerce solution designed to bring AI-powered virtual assistants to more online stores and mobile apps. Plus there’s Vertex AI search for retail that enables large language models (LLMs) to be custom-tuned to a retailer’s unique catalogue and customer search patterns. 

Meanwhile its customer service modernisation solution integrates generative AI capabilities with existing management systems to streamline internal tasks and deliver personalised customer service.

Then there’s the catalogue and content enrichment solution that “accelerates product cataloguing by generating product descriptions and fine-tuning language for search engine optimisation (SEO)”. 

And while that UK retailer research shows a huge majority feeling that adopting generative AI in their business is an urgent need, as many as 55% also feel ready to deploy the tech today. Some 80% anticipate their organisations will start prioritising hiring data scientists.

Researchers commissioned by Google spoke to 104 UK C-suite executives, information technology leads, and business development managers, and they’ve clearly been impacted by the publicity around AI last year.

It emerged as one of the fastest-growing technologies to date in 2023. And while some have suggestive AI is over-hyped, 71% of those surveyed believe generative AI can be practically deployed in their business. Almost all respondents said they expect it to have an impact on customer experience.

The areas they see it impacting the most include customer service automation. Some 66% of respondents want to use generative AI to streamline customer service with less human intervention by providing conversation summaries, automating tasks, and ultimately driving conversion. 

Product descriptions will be another key area with 48% wanting to use generative AI to accelerate product categorisation and generate great customer-centric marketing copy.

Meanwhile, 39% want to use it to “empower retail creative teams to curate bespoke images and creative content for campaigns and editorial placements and also enable 1:1 personalisation”.

And 43% want to use it to analyse emotional sentiments in customer feedback, while 46% think it can address shopper enquiries with interactive responses beyond just product recommendations.