South Africa, July 2 -- The retailer has unveiled Penny, an AI-powered shopping assistant integrated into its on-demand grocery platform, asap!, marking one of the most significant technology upgrades to the service since its launch.

Built using Google's Gemini large language models, Penny enables customers to build shopping baskets using natural conversation through voice, text or even photographs.

The feature, which begins rolling out in July, positions Pick n Pay firmly in the next phase of South Africa's fast-growing e-commerce battle, where retailers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to differentiate customer experiences rather than competing solely on delivery speed.

A shift from search to conversation

Unlike tradit...