Las Vegas – September 22, 2026 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) outlined its artificial intelligence strategy at GroceryShop 2026, disclosing a phased approach that moves from assisted to fully autonomous AI use across customer and operational functions.
Kroger structures AI deployment into three governed stages
Yael Cosset, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, said the company's AI roadmap progresses through assisted, augmented and autonomous stages, with the level of automation determined by risk, repeatability and the need for human judgment. "The goal is not autonomy everywhere," Cosset said, adding that governance remains central regardless of which stage a given use case occupies.
Proprietary models span forecasting, personalization and generative AI
Kroger's AI foundation draws on its loyalty program and years of customer and operational data science. The company runs a portfolio of proprietary models covering demand forecasting, operational optimization, personalization and generative AI, combined with third-party frontier models and shared infrastructure spanning data, services, agentic capabilities and governance guardrails.
AI Shopping Assistant already builds carts around budget and diet
The company's AI Shopping Assistant helps customers plan weekly meals, discover recipes and build carts based on budget, dietary needs and preferences. A conversational search feature assists customers in planning meals and locating products.
More than 400,000 associates gain access to AI literacy training
Kroger is rolling out AI literacy training and tools to more than 400,000 associates enterprise-wide. The company is also developing agents for frontline teams designed to filter daily notifications and surface only priority information. Cosset said associates need skills and discernment to use AI responsibly, framing the technology as a way to free up time for human connection rather than replace it.
Kroger positions grocery as a future outcome-based managed service
Cosset described a longer-term shift in which grocery shopping becomes an outcome-based experience rather than a series of discrete transactions. Under this model, customers would share goals and preferences, letting AI agents handle planning, shopping and fulfillment instead of customers building weekly lists themselves. Cosset said Kroger's advantage in this scenario rests on its existing knowledge of customer shopping patterns and visibility into product availability and fulfillment.