Gap Inc. Integrates AI for Online Shopping with Google Gemini

Gap Inc., the parent company of brands including Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta, has launched initiatives to integrate artificial intelligence into its online shopping experience, including a partnership with Google's Gemini chatbot that enables direct purchases within the platform.

The collaboration, announced this week, allows users querying Gemini for clothing recommendations to buy items from Gap's brands without leaving the AI interface. Shoppers can complete transactions using Google Pay, with Gap managing shipping and logistics. Product details displayed in Gemini come from information Gap supplies in advance, ensuring accuracy and allowing the retailer to maintain control over customer data and the overall experience. This setup relies on Google's Universal Commerce Protocol, a standard designed to streamline purchases across participating retailers' sites via AI assistants. Gap's chief technology officer, Sven Gerjets, described the move as a step toward making the company relevant in conversational shopping. "It's not just keyword search anymore, right? It's conversations, and so we need to be relevant to that," Gerjets said. He cited examples such as...