Retail Media

Firework blasts into generative AI with live shopping extension

Shoppers at The Fresh Market can now ask about products featured in a livestream, long after a session is over.

the fresh market
A Firework livestream with The Fresh Market. (Courtesy photo)

Two of the most-talked-about emerging technologies in commerce are coming together in a new offering from video-based platform Firework.

On Tuesday, Firework is releasing the beta version of a live shopping platform assisted by generative AI. Firework already has live shopping capabilities. Now it is adding a generative AI tool it developed in-house to the mix.

Launched with The Fresh Market, the tool will enable customers to use the in-video chat tool of a livestream long after the initial session is over. Shoppers will be able to ask questions about the products or services featured in a livestream. Then, the AI engine will provide responses in real time.

For instance, a customer may ask “What is the recipe for the salad being made in this video?” Then, the generative AI tool will provide the ingredients.

"By asking questions related to the products or services featured in the video, users will receive accurate, real-time responses that are contextually relevant to the livestream," said Firework President Jerry Luk.

For the Fresh Market, the tool complements a slate of offerings bridging content and commerce that recently expanded to include a retail media network built around shoppable livestreams. The grocer is adding these capabilities to its own website.

"The Fresh Market is a long-standing partner of ours and the perfect fit to pilot our AI-assisted live shopping capabilities. Cooking demos are a prime example of a case where viewers will have questions – whether it’s about the recipe, drink pairings, food origins…and the list goes on," said Luk. "Now, they can get prompt, friendly, and personalized answers to their burning queries even if they watch the livestream video after it has concluded."

Firework is taking an in-house approach to building generative AI tools. While plenty of businesses are beginning to leverage engines like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Firework’s tool was developed by the dedicated team of AI and machine learning professionals under the banner of Firework AI Labs. The team has previously created AI-enabled content creation and editing tools.

In particular, generative AI was a good fit with live shopping due to its ability to extend the experience, Luk said.

"Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize ecommerce by enhancing personalization and engagement, which are essential for establishing meaningful connections with customers. Firework's live shopping and interactive video features have already demonstrated significant success in this regard. We chose to leverage generative AI to further extend the benefits of these features," Luk said. "The appeal of live shopping lies in the ability for customers to have their questions answered during a livestream. However, once the event concludes, much of the interactivity is lost. Our generative AI-powered livestreams address this issue by providing an 'always-on' experience, allowing shoppers to enjoy personalized, real-time interactions and support whenever they choose to watch."

To build the product, Firework's team built a customized learned language model that incorporates product information, livestream content, user comments and responses from hosts and moderators. This enables the AI engine to provide "contextually relevant, accurate, and on-brand answers," Luk said.

"Firework's proprietary AI engine, powered by a large language model (LLM), can understand and respond in various languages and can be tailored to reflect each brand's unique voice," Luk said. "This ensures a personalized and context-driven experience for the user, making it feel as though they are interacting with a host or expert who is well-versed in the content of the livestream."

Firework’s platform is built around offering shoppable video, including livestreaming, that is embedded directly in the shopping journey. Often, this means it appears on a retailer’s website, rather than on a social media platform. Through generative AI, the company sees a pathway to extend a live shopping session, and the value of the content that it creates.

"Firework's proprietary AI engine, powered by a large language model (LLM), can understand and respond in various languages and can be tailored to reflect each brand's unique voice," Luk said. "This ensures a personalized and context-driven experience for the user, making it feel as though they are interacting with a host or expert who is well-versed in the content of the livestream."

The new tool arrives as more ecommerce companies are developing uses for generative AI, from product images to computer customization to product discovery. The integration with live shopping offers a reminder that multiple technologies can come together to advance the shopping experience. Innovation doesn’t have to happen in a vacuum. Perhaps, a new technology can even be the right ingredient to help another further mature. Given that live shopping remains nascent in the U.S., this seems primed as a test case.

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