Google and Ulta Launch the Agentic Commerce Initiative

Google and Ulta Beauty are partnering to push the boundaries of online commerce through artificial intelligence (AI). This collaboration marks the launch of new features, including the integration of agentic commerce via Google’s Gemini interface and the development of Ulta AI, an intelligent shopping assistant.

An Innovation in Agentic Commerce

As part of this collaboration, the two companies are introducing agentic commerce within Google AI Mode, an interactive environment integrated into Google Search and Gemini. This technology will enable consumers to search, compare, and purchase Ulta Beauty products directly through conversational interfaces.

Ashish Gupta, Vice President and General Manager of Merchant Shopping at Google, stated, "Agentic commerce has great potential to simplify online shopping for everyone." He also emphasized that Ulta Beauty "eliminates friction" by adopting Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard co-developed with Shopify.

Ulta Beauty: A Pioneer in AI

Ulta Beauty, ranked 37th in the Top 2000 largest online retailers in North America, positions itself as a key player in this new technological era. Mike Maresca, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer at Ulta Beauty, explained the company's early commitment to the UCP, stating, "We are seeing a clear shift in how customers discover and purchase beauty products, with an increasing role of AI in this journey."

Lauren Brindley, Chief Merchandising and Digital Officer at Ulta Beauty, added, "We seek to inspire product discovery through trusted expertise and carefully curated choices. Now, we are extending this strength to AI-powered shopping experiences, making beauty discovery more seamless, personalized, and accessible wherever it occurs."

Ulta AI: A Personalized Shopping Assistant

Meanwhile, Ulta Beauty has launched Ulta AI on its website, ulta.com, with plans to extend it to its mobile app. This shopping assistant relies on Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience technologies from Google and data from over 46 million members of Ulta's loyalty program.

According to Maresca, this initiative aims to "create a more agile platform to innovate faster and extend new experiences across our digital ecosystem." The Ulta AI assistant helps consumers navigate the product catalog, receive personalized recommendations, and discover items suited to their needs.

Darshan Kantak, Vice President of Applied AI for Google Cloud, described this partnership as a "new benchmark for the industry." He explained, "Our shopping agent connects intentions and inspirations to guide the customer journey. It bypasses traditional search filters and helps shoppers connect directly with the products they love, offering a fast and personalized experience from discovery to checkout."

A Collaboration Defining the Future

With this alliance, Google and Ulta Beauty are paving the way for a new generation of digital shopping experiences. This initiative demonstrates the potential of AI to transform online commerce, focusing on personalization and fluidity at every stage of the customer journey.

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