Unilever is making a decisive move into the AI era with a new five-year partnership with Google Cloud, signaling a major shift in how the CPG giant approaches brand discovery and consumer engagement.
The agreement will see Unilever migrate its data platforms and enterprise applications to Google Cloud infrastructure, positioning technology at the core of its value creation model. According to Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer Willem Uijen, the partnership reflects a structural transformation:
“As brands are increasingly discovered and chosen in environments shaped by AI, we must lead this shift.”
Preparing for the rise of agentic commerce
The deal underscores Unilever’s recognition that agentic commerce, AI systems capable of autonomously recommending, comparing, and purchasing products on behalf of consumers, will fundamentally reshape marketing.
Google has already signed agentic shopping partnerships with major U.S. retailers like Walmart and Target. Target is also among the first companies experimenting with ads inside ChatGPT, including campaigns run through its retail media network.
In this context, Unilever’s Google Cloud pact is about more than infrastructure, it’s about future-proofing how its brands are discovered, evaluated, and purchased in AI-driven ecosystems.
From data to demand acceleration
Through Google Cloud technology, Unilever aims to:
- Generate demand faster
- Convert massive datasets into actionable insights
- React more quickly to market shifts
- Build internal agentic workflows to automate complex processes
This transformation aligns with Unilever’s broader reorganization strategy, which increasingly centers AI across its value chain.
AI already embedded in Marketing
Unilever has been steadily integrating AI into its marketing operations. Among its existing initiatives:
- Creation of digital twins of products, enabling rapid adaptation across storytelling formats
- Launch of its internal AI-powered design unit, Sketch Pro, which leverages generative AI for creative production
- Deployment of hyper-targeted marketing powered by large language models
CEO Fernando Fernandez recently emphasized the company’s ambition to fully equip Unilever “for the AI age.”
“That means deploying AI to supercharge demand generation, scaling and hyper-targeting marketing content, partnering with consumer faces, large-language models, and working with retailers on agentic shopping models, creating a future-fit model for how our brands are discovered and shopped.”
Organizational shifts to match the strategy
The AI pivot coincides with internal leadership changes. Former Chief Growth and Marketing Officer Esi Eggleston Bracey recently departed as Unilever works to integrate business and marketing functions more closely.
Leandro Barreto, previously CMO of Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing, has stepped into the top marketing role, signaling continuity in the company’s tech-forward transformation.
A new discovery calculus
Unilever’s move highlights a fundamental shift in brand discovery. In AI-mediated environments, consumers may rely less on traditional advertising exposure and more on algorithmic recommendations, conversational commerce, and autonomous shopping agents.
By aligning deeply with Google Cloud, Unilever is betting that future brand growth will depend on:
- Structured, AI-ready data ecosystems
- Seamless integration with retail and search platforms
- Automation that connects storytelling directly to purchase
In short, Unilever is not simply adopting AI tools, it is restructuring its marketing and operations around a future where AI becomes the primary interface between brands and consumers.
