Ulta Beauty and Google partner to launch AI-powered shopping tools
Ulta AI uses loyalty-member insights to improve recommendations and guidance.
USA – Ulta Beauty has teamed up with Google to make beauty shopping more personalized, conversational, and easier to complete across digital channels.
This move centres on two new AI-driven experiences: Gemini-enabled shopping through Google surfaces and a new Ulta AI assistant on Ulta’s own platforms.
Ulta Beauty said it is bringing its assortment into Google’s AI-powered shopping experiences, including AI Mode in Search and the Gemini app, where shoppers will be able to get product recommendations, compare options, and complete eligible purchases more smoothly inside Google’s conversational interfaces.
The rollout is planned to begin over the next month, and the Universal Commerce Protocol, an open standard for agentic commerce, powers the experience.
Mike Maresca, chief technology and transformation officer, Ulta Beauty, stated, “Ulta Beauty engaged early with UCP because we see a clear shift in how guests are discovering and shopping for beauty, with AI playing a much bigger role in that journey.”
“We believe AI has the potential to elevate personalization to a new level, and in partnership with Google, we’re helping turn that potential into experiences that better serve our guests.”
At the same time, Ulta is launching Ulta AI, a shopping assistant built on Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, starting on Ulta.com and expanding soon to the Ulta Beauty app.
According to Ulta Beauty, the assistant will use insights from more than 46 million members to give more tailored guidance, help guests navigate its large online assortment, and surface product recommendations with greater confidence.
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence has transformed the beauty and cosmetics industry by driving innovation in personalized skincare, product design, and consumer engagement.
Beyond consumer-facing applications, AI is also being used to optimize supply chains, forecast emerging trends through social media analysis, and support sustainable packaging initiatives.
Artificial Intelligence has become a disruptive force in the beauty and cosmetics industry, with analysts projecting it could inject between USD 9–10 billion in value globally by 2025, according to a report by McKinsey.
This growth is driven by AI-powered personalization, virtual try-ons, and accelerated product development.
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