JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's retailers are accelerating their use of artificial intelligence as competition in online grocery shopping intensifies.
Woolworths has joined Checkers and Pick n Pay in launching an AI-powered shopping assistant for its on-demand delivery platform.
Called My Woolies Chef, the tool will help customers plan meals, discover recipes and shop for ingredients using conversational AI.
The retailer says the assistant has been trained on thousands of Woolworths taste recipes and is designed to provide recommendations tailored to South African shoppers.
The launch follows the introduction of Checkers' Pixie and Pick n Pay's Penny, both aimed at making online shopping more personalised and convenient.
The growing adoption of AI signals a new competitive front in retail, with major chains increasingly using technology to differentiate their on-demand delivery services and capture market share.