Woolworths' AI Chatbot Olive to Plan Meals and Add Items to Baskets in Google Gemini Deal
Australian Financial Review
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Details
- Date Published
- 12 Jan 2026
- Priority Score
- 2
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 12 Jan 2026, 05:45 am
Description
The supermarket giant’s Olive chatbot, supported by the Gemini platform’s capabilities, will be able to scan handwritten recipes and take items to the checkout.
Summary
Woolworths, a major Australian supermarket chain, has partnered with Google to enhance its AI chatbot, Olive, utilizing the Gemini platform. This development allows Olive to not only engage in basic customer service but also to plan meals and add products directly to customers' online shopping carts. While the integration of AI in retail brings advancements in customer experience, the article does not delve into significant safety or existential risks. This initiative is notable primarily for its contribution to practical AI applications within the retail sector rather than posing immediate implications for AI safety governance or catastrophic risk mitigation.
Body
CompaniesRetailPrint articleCampbell KwanReporterJan 12, 2026 – 4.00pmWoolworths will become the first supermarket retailer in the country to let artificial intelligence-powered agents shop for customers after striking a deal with Google to use its Gemini platform in its chatbot.The agreement will allow Woolworths’ chatbot, known as Olive, to move beyond answering basic customer queries and instead plan meals and, with their consent, automatically add items to online shopping baskets.Loading...Campbell Kwan covers retail and consumer goods for The Australian Financial Review, based in the Sydney newsroom. Email Campbell at campbell.kwan@afr.comSaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleFollow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.Find out moreRead MoreRetailAIWoolworthsOnline shoppingGoogleOpenAIFetching latest articles