LAS VEGAS, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR), America's grocer, today outlined its artificial intelligence strategy at GroceryShop 2026, detailing how customer insights, operational data, retail expertise and a portfolio of proprietary models are already driving meaningful results. Kroger's AI initiatives are supported by privacy, security and responsible AI governance processes designed to help ensure appropriate use of data and human oversight.

Yael Cosset, executive vice president and Chief Digital Officer, described a strategy built on using AI to improve the customer experience, make work easier for associates and produce better business outcomes.

"This isn't new for Kroger," said Cosset. "We've long been using data science and artificial intelligence to serve our customers by precisely forecasting demand, connecting customers with the most relevant savings opportunities and helping them find and get the products they need. Our latest investments in AI allow us to connect relevant business and operational signals to make decisions and take action faster."

A foundation few retailers can match

Kroger's AI strategy begins with a data foundation built on a longstanding loyalty program and years of customer and operational insights and data science. The company expands its broad portfolio of proprietary models spanning from demand forecasting, to operational optimization, personalization and generative AI capabilities.

Kroger's combination of proprietary and third-party frontier models with shared infrastructure, including data, services, agentic capabilities and governance guardrails, enables the company to move faster on proven capabilities, better orchestrate agents across workflows and manage performance in a more disciplined, and reliable manner.

From assisted to autonomous, with discipline

Cosset described Kroger's AI journey in three stages: Assisted, augmented and autonomous.

"The goal is not autonomy everywhere," said Cosset. "The goal is using the right level of AI based on risk, repeatability and the need for human judgement. Different cases will sit at different stages, and strong governance remains at the center."

What AI is doing for customers today

Kroger's AI Shopping Assistant is helping customers plan meals for the week, find new recipes, and build a cart around budget and dietary needs as well as preferences. Conversational search helps customers plan meals, discover relevant products and find what they need more easily.

The company is also working on improving agents for frontline teams to cut through the noise of dozens of daily notifications and tasks and surface only the most important information. Additionally, Kroger is making AI literacy training and tools available to more than 400,000 associates across the enterprise.

"It's about more than simply granting access," said Cosset. "Teams need the skills and discernment to use AI responsibly, understanding where it is useful and redesign work around this new capability. At our core, the human connection to a customer or fellow associate will never be replaced by AI. Instead, AI will give our associates more time and insight to create that connection."

The next frontier: Grocery as a managed service

Cosset outlined a future in which grocery shopping becomes an outcome-based experience instead of a series of individual and functional transactions. In this model, customers may choose to share information relevant to their shopping needs and AI agents handle planning, shopping and fulfillment.

Rather than formulating a weekly shopping list, customers may choose to share their goals and preferences, allowing AI agents to assist with planning and completing their shopping.

Kroger's advantage in this future, Cosset argued, is the same as it is today: A deep knowledge of customer shopping patterns, visibility into product availability and fulfillment, making the customer experience better.

About Kroger

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies more than 400,000 associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through an eCommerce experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.