Victoria’s Secret to deploy Google Cloud AI across the enterprise

Victoria's Secret & Co. will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to improve its customer and employee experience.

The intimate apparel giant is entering a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud to leverage AI technologies that include a new generative AI-based conversational assistant created with Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform. The conversational chatbot will provide shoppers with tailored product recommendations and advice based on personal preferences and life experiences.

In December 2022, Victoria's Secret purchased Adore Me, a direct-to-consumer lingerie company, intending to leverage Adore Me technology to improve the Victoria's Secret and Pink shopping experience and accelerate the modernization of its digital platform. This includes Adore Me’s existing implementation of the Google Cloud Vertex AI platform and Duet AI for Google Workspace for generative AI efforts.

With its new Google Cloud partnership, Victoria’s Secret expects to more easily and quickly integrate large language models created and used by Adore Me. The retailer also hopes to leverage Google AI capabilities in marketing, analyzing customer sentiment, forecasting product demand, ensuring timely inventory management, and supporting human resources and store operations through conversational and personalized associate onboarding and training programs.

Victoria's Secret and Pink will also aim to enhance their website and mobile app by implementing Google Cloud's Vertex AI Search for retail technology to provide Google-quality search and recommendations capabilities. The company recently introduced an AI-based product search feature that uses Google Cloud's Vision API Product Search technology to help users to find a specific product by dropping an image into the website's search bar. 

"The integration of Google Cloud's AI and generative AI technologies will not only improve the online shopping experience for our customers, but also will empower our internal teams to drive innovation across various business functions," said Chris Rupp, chief customer officer, Victoria's Secret & Co. "This partnership signifies a new era for Victoria's Secret & Co., where cutting-edge technology meets our passion for enhancing the customer journey and reinforcing our position as a leader in retail."

"We are strategically implementing AI to help us better use data to benefit our customers and enhance internal processes. We're excited about the potential use cases including international expansion planning to marketing development and supply chain optimization," said Murali Sundararajan, CIO at Victoria's Secret & Co. "These initiatives could not only streamline our operations but also enable us to better meet the needs of our customers and associates."

"Victoria's Secret & Co.'s use of AI and generative AI to fuel its strategic growth plan illustrates how retailers can practically use these new technologies to deliver the full potential of their brands," said Carrie Tharp, VP of strategic industries, Google Cloud. "From building tailored experiences that resonate with shoppers, to transforming how new products are developed and delivered, Victoria's Secret & Co. is at the forefront of retail innovation."

Victoria's Secret & Co. is comprised of Victoria's Secret, Victoria's Secret Pink and Adore Me, with a global footprint of more than 1,350 retail stores in nearly 70 countries.