Twenty-five years after the launch of Google Images transformed how people searched the internet, artificial intelligence is ushering in another shift that could reshape retail across Africa, turning smartphone cameras into shopping tools and forcing businesses to rethink how customers discover their products.
Olumide Balogun, Google’s director for East and West Africa, said African businesses risk losing customers if their products cannot be found through AI-powered visual search, as consumers increasingly use images, cameras and voice instead of typing keywords into search engines.
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The change marks a significant evolution in online commerce. While Google Images was born in 2001 after millions searched unsuccessfully for Jennifer Lopez’s iconic green Versace dress from the 2000 Grammy Awards, today’s AI-powered search allows consumers to simply point a smartphone camera at an item, circle an object on a screen or ask
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