H&M turns to machine learning and artificial intelligence with Google

H&M Group is unleashing artificial intelligence on both its supply chain and its customers: Google Cloud is building an integrated data platform for the fashion giant to use data to optimise the entire value chain.

The machine knows what’s best

Which products are in stock and where? What is the best price? And how much and when should a supplier deliver? These are all questions that artificial intelligence (AI) can help answer. Both to optimise the supply chain and the customer experience in-store or offline, AI and machine learning are becoming valuable allies in the retail industry.

H&M Group is therefore expanding its collaboration with Google and announcing a strategic partnership with Google Cloud. The cloud division of the search engine giant will develop a global and enterprise-wide data platform for the fashion player and help it to unleash the power of machine learning and AI. Both companies have been working together for some time, but are now scaling up their partnership.

Boost to the supply chain

“Using advanced AI, we will boost H&M’s supply chains,” Google told AI Magazine. Through the new data network, all types of data and events will be accessible from multiple sources, from shops to suppliers. In this way, the company hopes to gain a complete overview of the entire value chain and can make predictions and decisions based on all factors.

“We are now further accelerating digitalisation as we believe in sustainable growth powered by advanced analytics and tech,” said Alan Boehme, Chief Technology Officer of H&M Group. Moreover, the collaboration should enable the further development of data science and AI capabilities across the group.

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