Albert Heijn introduces smart AI help in the app: this is how it works

Albert Heijn is taking a big step into the world of artificial intelligence. From November 11, customers will be able to use a personal AI assistant in the AH app. This digital help answers questions like “What do we eat today?” and suggests recipes based on photos of your groceries. In addition, the app will be available in English, which increases usability for international customers.

A festive launch

The supermarket chain went big with the introduction of these new AI features. To mark the 15th anniversary of the AH app, the company organized a special meeting at the head office in Zaandam. Not only professional journalists were present here, but also technology experts from national newspapers and even AI author Remy Gieling.

During the presentation, CEO Marit van Egmond emphasized that Albert Heijn wants to profile itself as a forerunner in the field of technological innovations in the retail sector. “We have grown into a fully-fledged Food & Tech company,” says van Egmond. “Our goal is to be the first supermarket to use AI to make shopping and cooking more fun and easier for our customers.”

The Power of Data and Technology

Sjoerd Holleman, responsible for strategy, product and analytics at Albert Heijn, shared some impressive figures. The AH app currently has 4.5 million monthly users and 1.1 million premium members. He also provided a behind-the-scenes look at the supermarket chain's AI adventure.

Albert Heijn has built a technology community of more than 1,000 data scientists, engineers, product owners, and developers. Since the arrival of ChatGPT, the company has been experimenting extensively with the possibilities of generative AI. In collaboration with Microsoft, a safe GPT environment was created where interns could experiment in a special AI lab.

AI in practice

In addition to the new app functions, Albert Heijn also uses AI for customer service. For example, artificial intelligence is used to summarize and analyze the content of phone conversations. AI also helps write code and create visual content for retail media.

Holleman emphasises that perfection is not the main goal when launching new AI products. “When it works, we make it available to everyone. We look at where the value lies for customers and suppliers and build from there,” he explains.

The AI Assistant and Scan & Cook

The new AI assistant in the AH app has been trained with Albert Heijn's recipe database and has been instructed to “think like a chef”. Customers can ask simple questions and then receive recipe and product recommendations.

In addition, Albert Heijn is introducing the Scan & Cook function. This allows users to take a photo of their messages, and then AI suggests appropriate recipes. This should not only make cooking easier, but also contribute to reducing food waste.

Future plans and privacy

Albert Heijn stresses the importance of privacy and transparency when using AI. The assistant does not store conversations and there is currently no link to personal customer profiles. Holleman does not rule out that this may change in the future, but emphasizes that this will only happen if customers explicitly give their consent.

With the introduction of these AI features, Albert Heijn is taking an important step towards a more personalized and technologically advanced shopping experience. The company remains committed to innovation, with the aim of making their customers' lives easier and more fun.