In “Does Grocery Search Actually Work?”, The Middlemen Podcast dives deep into the evolution from basic keyword search to generative AI-powered, conversational search in grocery retail. Hosts Tom Limongello and Todd Sawicki are joined by Shilp Agarwal, CEO of Blutag, and Clive Humby, co-founder of DunnHumby and widely recognized as the “Godfather of Retail Media,” to discuss why traditional search falls short for complex tasks like meal planning and how AI can bridge the gap between consumer intent and seamless shopping experiences. The episode unpacks the limitations of generic large language models (LLMs), highlighting Blutag’s proprietary retail language model that delivers more accurate, relevant, and hallucination-free results for retailers and shoppers alike. Humby shares his perspective on the critical role of data, the shift toward visual and voice-based interfaces, and the future of retail media—emphasizing that true innovation lies in making the shopping journey more intuitive, not just more monetizable. The conversation culminates with a live demo of Blutag’s AI assistant, showcasing features such as recipe generation, personalized product recommendations, and predictive cart building, all designed to save consumers time and drive higher conversions for retailers. Connect with the guests: Shilp Agarwal and Clive Humby

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