Google Cloud Services is launching a new range of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics solutions aimed at helping retailers optimise recommendations and personalisation online and in-store.

Google Cloud for Retail is aimed at assisting retailers with digital transformation of the value chain, centred on six core areas, including store operations such as frictionless checkout, inventory management, merchandising, customer acquisition and workforce retention.

The latest roll-out builds upon existing Google Cloud partnerships with brand including IKEA, Bed Bath and Beyond, Carrefour, Kohl’s, Ocado, Shopify, and Target to build their e-commerce, machine learning and data analytics operations.

New technology featured in the range includes Vision Product Search, which integrates Cloud Vision Technology into a customer’s mobile experience by allowing them to take photos and screenshots from their phone of products they like, and match them with similar or complementary items from a retailer’s product catalogue.

Google also said it was launching eCommerce Hosting, a cloud data platform to help online retail sites prevent crashes during peak traffic moments such as Black Friday and holiday trading.

The Alphabet-owned company is also looking to boost its presence in the market for ‘hyper personalisation’, powered by Recommendation AI technology, which continuously learns and adapts to real-time user behaviours and dynamic environments such as changes in assortment, pricing and special offers.

Susan Standiford, chief technology officer at IKEA Group, commented: “We’re working with Google Cloud to create a new mobile experience that enables customers, wherever they are, to take photos of home furnishing and household items and quickly find that product or similar in our online catalogue.

“Google Cloud helps us make use of Vision Product Search and we are very excited to explore how this can help us create a better and more convenient experience for our customers.”

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