Kohl’s is introducing new artificial intelligence tools aimed at both shoppers and store associates, as the department store chain looks to deepen personalisation and improve decision-making across its business.
The retailer has launched a conversational “gift finder” powered by Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience.
The tool acts as a virtual shopping assistant, generating personalised recommendations based on a recipient’s interests, style and hobbies. Users can also upload images to find similar products and complete purchases within the chat interface.
Kohl’s said it will use customer interactions with the tool to refine recommendations and evolve the user experience over time, building on earlier AI initiatives such as its 2023 “Storybook Magic” holiday feature.
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Alongside the customer-facing launch, the retailer is piloting AI-driven analytics tools for employees.
Built on Google Cloud’s conversational analytics and integrated into Looker dashboards, the system allows associates to query sales and product trends using natural language, reducing reliance on manual reporting.
The tools are designed to give staff faster access to insights on performance drivers across categories and brands, with Kohl’s aiming to streamline data analysis and support more responsive merchandising decisions.
The rollout reflects a broader push among retailers to embed “agentic” AI across both customer journeys and internal operations, using automation to improve personalisation while accelerating access to data.
For Kohl’s, the dual approach signals a shift toward AI as both a front-end engagement layer and a back-end operational tool, as it looks to enhance the customer experience and drive more informed decision-making.
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