Christofer Endresen is Head of Digital Commerce at Knowit Experience Oslo, one of Norce’s trusted Solution Partners. With deep experience as a strategic advisor and solution architect, he helps Nordic companies unlock the full potential of complex digital commerce. We spoke to Christofer about Google Vertex AI – and how this powerful technology might shape the future of ecommerce.
For a long time, Google has been central in driving traffic to online stores through search. But what we’re seeing now is that Google is moving from being a gateway to becoming part of the store itself. Through Vertex AI and the new Gemini models, Google is embedding AI deeper into the ecommerce experience – from search to personalisation, from chatbots to customer journeys.
In other words, they’re not just helping people find your store anymore. They’re helping shape what happens inside it.
Absolutely. Let’s start with an internal search. With Vertex AI, you can run Google’s own search engine logic — the same one powering billions of queries a day — directly in your store. It doesn’t just return relevant results; it understands "intent". That’s a game-changer.
Then there’s image-based search. A customer can upload a picture and find similar products in your store. It’s intuitive and removes friction.
You also get access to personalisation models that generate product recommendations based on behaviour, preferences, and even conversion probability. Google calls this "Revenue Optimized Search", meaning the algorithm ranks products not just by relevance, but also by what’s most likely to convert – just like in Google Ads.
Yes, and more. Vertex AI allows you to implement virtual agents powered by the latest Gemini models. These assistants can guide customers through their journey, answer questions, recommend products – and even upsell based on their preferences.
What’s also exciting is the internal use case: AI agents that support customer service teams behind the scenes, providing fast, consistent answers and insights that improve over time. It’s not just automation – it’s intelligence.
That’s the billion-dollar question. Google already owns the infrastructure through Google Cloud – and now they’re moving down the stack to offer AI-based services within ecommerce platforms.
Looking ahead, I believe we’ll move away from the traditional search box entirely. Instead of typing queries, we’ll talk to assistants who know our preferences and can guide us through transactions. Google is clearly positioning itself to power these next-gen experiences – and to own more of the ecommerce value chain.
For technology partners in the ecommerce space, these developments present both opportunities and challenges. With Google entering areas like search, personalisation, and content generation, it’s important for providers to assess how their offerings can evolve and complement – rather than compete with – emerging AI capabilities.
That’s why agility and composability are so important. Platforms like Norce, built with an open, modular architecture, are well positioned to let merchants select best-of-breed solutions that fit their specific needs – including advanced AI services from players like Google, when appropriate. It’s about enabling choice and staying ahead of the curve.
Reach out. At Knowit, we’re a Premier Partner on Google Cloud and have already helped several Norwegian brands explore and implement these tools with great results. Whether you’re curious about advanced search, personalisation, or smarter automation – now is the time to explore what’s possible.
Want to know how AI can accelerate your commerce stack? Contact Norce or connect directly with Christofer Endresen at Knowit.