Tesco is testing a new AI assistant

About 280,000 employees of the British supermarket chain Tesco will get early access to a new AI assistant that helps customers plan meals and put together shopping lists.

Providing inspiration

Tesco plans to add a new AI assistant to its app. In the coming weeks, approximately 280,000 employees will be invited to test the assistant in practice. They will have the opportunity to provide feedback that will play a key role in further shaping the tool before it is eventually launched for all customers later this year.

The AI assistant will initially help customers plan meals by offering inspiration in the form of personalized recipe ideas, taking into account various dietary preferences. Once a customer has found a recipe that matches the type of meal they had in mind, the AI assistant can then help the customer put together a shopping basket within the app.

The assistant will also help customers make use of leftovers in the fridge or pantry, saving them money and time, reducing food waste, and making meal planning much less stressful.

Personalizing the shopping experience

“In the long term, this assistant has the potential to transform the way people shop with us – harnessing the power of AI to personalise the shopping experience for our customers in ways that ultimately save them time and money,” says Ken Murphy, CEO of Tesco.

Behind the scenes, AI has been supporting Tesco’s operations for years, including personalizing Clubcard offers and improving operational processes. The retailer has doubled the size of its technology team over the past five years and has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with the European AI startup Mistral to develop new AI capabilities.