Retailers Enhance AI Search with New Tools

The retail industry is always evolving, but right now, it feels like we're on the brink of something big. With AI advancing at breakneck speed, there's a real push to meet changing customer needs and tackle challenges like rising costs and tricky supply chains. At NRF 2025, Retail's Big Show, Google Cloud is showcasing how AI agents and AI-powered search are helping retailers work smarter and offer more personalized shopping experiences, all to keep up with the AI era.

Introducing critical generative AI tools for retailers

One game-changer for retailers is Google Agentspace. It's a platform that makes it easy for companies to create smart AI agents. These agents are like little helpers that use AI to achieve goals and handle tasks for users. They can think, plan, remember, and even make decisions on their own, learning and adapting as they go. Retailers can use these AI agents to tailor the shopping experience, giving customers personalized product suggestions, answering their questions on the spot, and guiding them through purchases. Plus, these agents can take care of routine tasks like managing inventory, handling customer service, and even preventing losses, freeing up staff to focus on more important stuff.

Before NRF, Google Cloud also rolled out some cool updates to Vertex AI Search for commerce, using fancy language models to make finding products easier. They also showed off their Connected Stores solution, which links shoppers' devices with in-store systems to make shopping seamless across different channels. With Google Cloud's progress in image-to-video and image generation, retailers have some powerful tools at their fingertips to streamline operations and wow their customers. Here's a peek at how some retailers are making the most of Google Cloud's AI tech.

Wayfair: Reimagining ecommerce

Wayfair, a big name in online home goods and furniture, is using Gemini on Vertex AI to seriously upgrade its product catalog and help its employees work more efficiently. This has sped up their product launches by a whopping five times, thanks to automating stuff like product tagging and sorting. It's not just saving them a ton of money each year, but it's also making the shopping experience smoother and more accurate for customers. Gemini even helps Wayfair spot mistakes in product info and keep the online space safer by flagging any dodgy content. And it's not just about the customers—Wayfair's using Gemini on Google Workspace to boost teamwork and productivity among its staff.

NVIDIA: Powering AI from the cloud to the store

Our partnership with NVIDIA is all about giving retailers the tools and infrastructure they need to use AI effectively and on a big scale. With NVIDIA's AI Enterprise software now on Google Cloud, retailers can handle more data and tackle more complex AI tasks without their systems slowing down.

Companies like LiveX AI and Standard.ai are already seeing the benefits. LiveX AI is using AI agents to cut down on customer support costs while making the experience more personal. And Standard.ai is helping physical stores understand how customers behave and improve the in-store experience.

Everseen: Bringing computer vision to retail

Everseen just announced they're teaming up with Google Cloud to bring computer vision to brick-and-mortar stores. By using Everseen's Vision AI platform with Google Distributed Cloud and Vertex AI, retailers can process tons of visual data right in the store, giving them instant alerts and real-time insights. Think about AI systems that can spot and stop theft, manage inventory better, and even make shopping more enjoyable.

Partnerships that drive innovation

Working together is the key to getting the most out of AI in retail, and Google Cloud's partners unveiled some new tools at NRF to help retailers see real results from their AI investments. Shopify, Revionics, LiveRamp, Revieve, and Eagle Eye are helping retailers step up their marketing game with AI tech that personalizes campaigns, boosts customer insights, and makes the most of ad spend. Bloomreach, BigCommerce, and Quantum Metric are also helping retailers create smooth shopping experiences across all channels.

To help retailers operate more sustainably, Manhattan Associates, O9 Solutions, Impact Analytics, and 345 Global are using AI to streamline logistics, cut down on waste, and reduce environmental impact. And finally, companies like Vusion Group, NCR Voyix, and Zebra are bringing AI to the retail floor to improve operations, personalize shopping, and enhance the customer experience.

Swing by Google Cloud's booth #5507 at NRF to see all these exciting new technologies in action. You can also check out more about the new AI tools for retail and other updates in Google Cloud's Press Corner, including new products for retailers and partnerships with companies that are helping retailers make the most of this new tech.