Matalan turns to AI in ‘retail first’ as it predicts productivity to quadruple

Matalan launched a Generative AI (GenAI) tool in a “retail first” which it has said will lead to a quadrupling of productivity.

The Liverpool-headquartered fashion and homewares retailer will use the tool to create product descriptions on its website.

The GenAI tool, developed and delivered by Kin + Carta and Matalan’s digital team using Google’s Vertex AI, uses product metadata and imagery to produce “more detailed” product descriptions for customers.

Matalan added that its “bespoke” model is configured to read product imagery and select details to inform the product description, providing customers with richer information about its range.

The brand added that its team of copywriters will continue to oversee descriptions.

Ali Jones, chief customer and omnichannel officer at Matalan, said: “As the UK’s first retailer to be leveraging Generative AI in this way, this is a hugely exciting moment for Matalan.

“Not only does it demonstrate innovation into new and so far unexplored areas, but it shows our commitment to putting our customers and the shopping experience first – whether they’re shopping on our website or through the Matalan app.

“This all ladders up to our ambitious business transformation, so it’s a proud moment to be announcing this industry-first, today.”

Ewan Nicolson, director of AI and data at Kin + Carta, added: “This new tool is using generative AI to increase operational efficiency in Matalan’s in-house copywriting team and vastly multiply the number of detailed product descriptions Matalan can post onto its ecommerce site every day.

“This is the type of situation where generative AI is at its best, creating rich, bespoke content in a matter of moments that has a real impact on sales.”