Last month, Albertsons became the first retailer to deploy Google Cloud’s Conversational Commerce agent, introducing an AI-powered shopping assistant across all its store apps. The feature, called Ask AI, lets customers search for groceries using everyday language, from asking for quick dinner ideas to finding the best side dish for salmon.
The tool sits inside the search bar of Albertsons’ banner apps, including Albertsons, Safeway, and Shaw’s. It was developed in partnership with Google Cloud using the Vertex AI platform and Gemini models. According to Albertsons, more than 85 percent of conversations with the assistant begin with open-ended or exploratory questions, showing that customers are using it less like a search engine and more like a digital store clerk.
Early results suggest the feature is driving larger orders. The company found that customers who interact with Ask AI tend to add at least one more item to their baskets. Jill Pavlovich, Albertsons’ senior vice president of digital customer experience, said the assistant “moves beyond traditional search” to make grocery shopping more personal and intuitive.
