End-to-end e-commerce platform THG Ingenuity has announced a new collaboration with Google Cloud with the bold aim being “to power the future of digital commerce”. 

While Google owner Alphabet is a very much larger company than THG Ingenuity, it appears to be a very big deal for both of the partners with them saying the “far-reaching collaboration [is] designed to transform the scale, innovation, and future growth of THG Ingenuity and its digital commerce platform”.

Reports also suggested it could eventually lead to Google holding a small stake in THG Ingenuity valued at $1 billion (£749 million) or more.

We’re told that by combining Google Cloud’s “cutting-edge generative AI and data analytics products” with THG Ingenuity’s “end-to-end commerce and fulfilment capabilities, the agreement represents a strategic milestone that will accelerate product innovation, deliver step-change outcomes for customers, and open new go-to-market opportunities worldwide”.

Central to this is “THG Ingenuity’s commitment to product innovation,” they said. “By harnessing Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform and Gemini models, [we] will build next-generation, AI-enabled services for THG Ingenuity’s e-commerce platform. From predictive demand planning and hyper-personalised product recommendations, to intelligent storefronts and automated fulfilment solutions, these innovations will give customers the ability to unlock new revenue streams, reduce operating costs, and deliver superior experiences at global scale”.

The partners will also collaborate on a go-to-market strategy to “accelerate digital transformation across industries”. They’ll target existing customers and aim to attract new ones by listing Ingenuity’s next-generation commerce and fulfilment solutions for purchase on the Google Cloud Marketplace with a focus on Europe and the US.

And they said brands working with Ingenuity “will gain direct access to the best of Google Cloud’s AI and data platforms, integrated seamlessly into Ingenuity’s digital commerce services”.

That should mean “faster innovation cycles and access to market-leading AI tools; smarter, AI-driven insights to grow revenue and reduce costs; more personalised and seamless shopping journeys for their end consumers; [and] greater resilience, scalability, and security in their global commerce infrastructure”. 

Also important, THG Studios will use Google’s Veo and Imagen models on Vertex AI “to create distinctive, high-impact visual assets for marketing and branding needs”. This includes blending product photography with AI-generated backgrounds and producing entirely original images and video content. Google’s AI tools will also be used to analyse market trends and consumer behaviour. 

THG Ingenuity will undertake a comprehensive migration of its e-commerce and fulfilment infrastructure to Google Cloud to help modernise its product offerings by transitioning its applications, including legacy systems, to Google Cloud’s platform.

The UK firm’s chairman Alistair Crane called it a “landmark collaboration with Google Cloud is a transformative moment for THG Ingenuity. Together, we are not only reimagining digital commerce through innovation, but also ensuring that customers have the products, tools and fulfilment solutions to drive their businesses forward. This is about shared growth, shared innovation, and a shared commitment to shaping the future of commerce.”

And Maureen Costello, VP UK, Ireland and Sub-Saharan Africa, at Google Cloud, added: “THG Ingenuity is at the forefront of revolutionising digital commerce, and we are proud to collaborate with them. By combining Google Cloud’s AI and data expertise with THG Ingenuity’s global commerce and fulfilment capabilities, we are enabling brands to modernise, innovate, and create exceptional customer experiences at scale. This collaboration sets the state for long-term impact across industries.”