IKEA Retail (Ingka Group) – IKEA, the world-renowned leader in home furnishing solutions, has launched a new IKEA AI assistant, an AI-powered home design, inspiration and shopping tool, available exclusively on the OpenAI GPT Store. The move marks a significant step in democratising planning services and creating a better life for the many, by offering a tool that gives users personalised furniture and decor suggestions based on factors such as room dimensions, personal style, sustainability preferences, budget, functional requirements, and more.
“The new IKEA AI Assistant on GPT Stores is an ongoing initiative, and the continuation of a journey that looks to enrich the retail experience and explore additional avenues to interact with our customers and coworkers, as they help us improve and develop further”
– Parag Parekh, Global Chief Digital Officer for IKEA Retail (Ingka Group)
A New Shopping Experience
The IKEA AI Assistant represents the first-of-its kind interactive experience in the GPT Store. With the IKEA AI Assistant, users can:
- Utilize GPT to articulate their specific home design needs and receive customized recommendations. For instance, ‘’Show me a cozy living room layout for a small apartment with the use of sustainable materials.’’
- Explore IKEA extensive catalog featuring thousands of products, ranging from minimalist designs to artistic collections and check for their availability across different locations.
- Gain inspiration from design ideas, and real life-home transformation stories within IKEA global community, as well as tips from furnishing experts as you go.
As Francesco Marzoni, Chief Data & Analytics Officer (CDAO) explains, “We are taking a pragmatic, execution-focused approach, learning by doing and capitalizing on our early efforts of a Responsible AI framework. We activated a broad ecosystem of partners to bring to life several experiments, so that we can take part in the AI evolution as we shape our company strategy.’’
The IKEA AI Assistant is currently available for GPT Plus users in the US market only. IKEA is looking to take its Scandinavian design inspiration and recommendations to even more markets where ChatGPT is available during the year.
Looking Forward
Parag Parekh, Global Chief Digital Officer (CDO) for IKEA Retail (Ingka Group) adds, ‘’The new IKEA AI Assistant on GPT Stores is an ongoing initiative, and the continuation of a journey that looks to enrich the retail experience and explore additional avenues to interact with our customers and coworkers, as they help us improve and develop further”.
IKEA Commitment to Responsible AI
Ingka Group approach to Responsible AI is focused on driving innovation that is rooted in integrity, empathy, and a strong sense of responsibility, embodying a human-centric approach. Furthermore, Ingka Group has initiated an AI education program throughout the company, aiming to train upwards of 3,000+ employees in 2024. This effort not only empowers internal teams but also serves as a call to action for others to join this progressive movement. Ingka Group sees the future of AI as an opportunity for a more ethical and inclusive use of technology, benefiting a wider community.
About Ingka Group
With IKEA retail operations on 31 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents about 90% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on www.Ingka.com.
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