Levi Strauss & Co. is partnering with Microsoft to build an enterprise superagent designed to unify employee support, streamline retail operations and modernize the company’s data backbone. By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no add ...

Core Insights - Levi Strauss & Co. is collaborating with Microsoft to create an enterprise superagent aimed at enhancing employee support, optimizing retail operations, and modernizing the company's data infrastructure [1][2] - The Azure-native orchestrator will function within Microsoft Teams, managing requests across various departments, which is part of Levi's transition to a "fan-obsessed, direct-to-consumer first business" model [2][4] - The superagent is expected to centralize employee inquiries and operational tasks into a single conversational interface, thereby improving support efficiency for both store associates and corporate teams [2][6] Modernization Strategy - The initiative is part of a larger modernization strategy that includes the deployment of Surface Copilot+ PCs, GitHub Copilot, and Microsoft Intune, alongside migrating workloads to Microsoft Azure [3] - The company is utilizing Azure Migrate, Azure AI Foundry, and Semantic Kernel to facilitate automation while maintaining a zero-trust security framework [3] AI Adoption in Retail - The partnership reflects a broader trend among retailers to adopt agentic AI in both internal and customer-facing operations, with Levi's consumer tools also built on the same data foundations [4][5] - The new Outfitting feature leverages existing integrations with inventory data and customer behavior to provide personalized styling recommendations [4] Competitive Landscape - Levi's AI-powered associate assistant, Stitch, offers store employees immediate access to essential product information and training resources [5] - The company's move to develop its own orchestrator aligns with competitors like Amazon and Walmart, indicating a shift among legacy apparel brands towards similar operational architectures [5] Implementation Timeline - The superagent is set to begin global rollout in early 2026, with expectations of enhanced productivity and improved alignment across stores, supply chains, and digital channels [6]

This story was originally published on CIO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CIO Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Levi Strauss & Co. is working with Microsoft to deploy a "complex agentic framework" throughout its operations, the two companies announced Monday. A "super-agent" capable of integrating an agentic network across IT, human resources and operations is currently being built and tested. It will roll out starting early next year.  The technology will be embedded wi ...

Group 1 - Google Labs has introduced a new AI design product called Pomelli, which focuses on generating marketing materials that align with brand aesthetics at a low cost [4][30]. - Pomelli extracts brand-related elements from a company's website, such as theme colors, product capabilities, and positioning, to create marketing content [4][11]. - The product is currently available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand [4]. Group 2 - Users can input their website URL, and Pomelli will analyze the site to create a brand DNA card, detailing elements like logos, fonts, and color schemes [11][30]. - The tool allows for the generation of marketing content by inputting specific campaign details, optimizing text, and providing design previews [15][19]. - Users can customize generated images by adjusting backgrounds, titles, content, and call-to-action buttons, ensuring brand consistency [23][25]. Group 3 - The advantages of Pomelli include its user-friendly interface and the ability to quickly produce advertising content, which is more efficient than traditional agency methods [30]. - However, the tool heavily relies on the quality of the website's information, and if the site lacks comprehensive content, the output may be limited [31]. - Current limitations include a lack of aesthetic variety in generated images, weak control over background images, and no support for controlling image ratios, which is crucial for advertising [32][30].

Product Updates - Stitch 的 Experimental Mode 限制增加到每月 100 generations [1] - 工作流程更快，聊天线程中提供建议回复 [1] - Experimental Mode 中提供最新的 2.5 Pro 模型 [1] - 支持 30 多个国家/地区的翻译 [1] - 增强了生成的一致性和质量 [1] - 整个产品的用户界面得到优化 [1]

Core Viewpoint - A new wave of "small but beautiful" AI applications is emerging, transforming traditional art and design into innovative experiences, such as converting famous paintings into music and generating UI designs from text descriptions [1][2][3]. Group 1: National Gallery Mixtape - The application allows users to upload famous paintings, such as Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," and AI analyzes colors, themes, and emotions to generate corresponding music [5]. - It utilizes Google's multimodal model Gemini for artwork analysis and MusicFX DJ for real-time composition, turning visual elements into musical notes [3][5]. Group 2: Stitch - Google Labs' Stitch simplifies the UI design process by allowing users to describe their product interface needs in detail, generating complete UI design drafts instantly [6][9]. - It supports exporting designs to Figma files or frontend code, enhancing workflow integration for designers [9]. Group 3: Portraits - Portraits is an AI virtual assistant that provides career guidance and role-playing practice, modeled after former executives like Kim Scott [10][13]. - Users can interact with the AI for professional advice and receive feedback on their performance in simulated scenarios [13]. Group 4: Talking Tours - Talking Tours offers an interactive map featuring global landmarks, allowing users to explore and receive detailed explanations from an AI guide [14][17]. - Users can ask questions and request re-explanations, making it a valuable tool for history and culture enthusiasts [17]. Group 5: Whisk - Whisk stands out in the AI image generation field by allowing users to upload reference images, making it user-friendly for beginners [18][19]. - It integrates animation features, enabling users to create short videos from static images, catering to content creators and artists [19]. Group 6: Voice Tower - The Voice Tower application utilizes advanced voice cloning technology to replicate a user's voice accurately, allowing for easy podcast creation [20][22]. - It captures speech patterns and nuances, enabling users to generate audio content quickly and naturally [22].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the innovative AI applications developed by Google Labs, emphasizing their fun, practical, and diverse nature, moving beyond traditional model updates and parameters [3][5][90]. Group 1: Google Labs Overview - Google Labs has over thirty AI products that are either open or will soon be available, showcasing significant innovation [5]. - The project aims to help users learn in more engaging ways, enhance productivity, and integrate AI into daily life [5][90]. - Google Labs was initially launched in 2002 to foster creativity among employees, allowing them to dedicate 20% of their time to innovative projects [92][94]. Group 2: Featured AI Products - **National Gallery Mixtape**: Generates music based on a given painting, enhancing the understanding of art through sound [10][11][28]. - **Learn About**: An AI-assisted learning tool that structures knowledge acquisition, providing a framework, interactive learning methods, and self-assessment [29][32][54]. - **Little Language Lessons**: A practical language learning tool that focuses on relevant vocabulary, local dialogues, and real-life applications [54][60][66]. - **Stitch**: A design tool that allows users to create UI interfaces using natural language or image references, streamlining the design process [67][72][78]. - **Portraits**: A workplace tool featuring a virtual expert that provides advice on professional challenges, simulating real-life interactions [80][82][86]. Group 3: Google Labs' Evolution - Google Labs was shut down in 2011 as the company shifted focus to core business needs, but innovation efforts continued through other projects [94][96]. - The resurgence of Google Labs is characterized by a focus on small-scale projects, rapid iteration, and future-oriented product development [100][104][106]. - The approach aims to maintain vitality in a rapidly changing AI landscape, emphasizing innovation as a key productivity driver [108][110].

Core Insights - Google has launched a variety of innovative AI applications through its Google Labs platform, focusing on generative AI projects since mid-2023 [6][7][8]. Group 1: Overview of Google Labs - Google Labs serves as an AI experimentation platform, acting as a creative incubator for testing and showcasing new AI products [6]. - Many well-known Google products, such as Gmail, were tested in Google Labs before their official release [7]. Group 2: Notable AI Applications - Whisk: An AI image generation tool that allows users to upload images as references, requiring minimal text prompts [10][13]. - National Gallery Mixtape: Converts famous paintings into AI-generated music by analyzing the artwork's content and aesthetic [37][38]. - Food Mood: An AI recipe generator that combines different cuisines and allows users to input specific ingredients [40][41]. - Gen Chess: An AI chess game generator that creates personalized chess pieces and allows users to play against AI [52][54]. - Gen Type: A creative font generator that produces a complete set of letter images based on user descriptions [70][72]. - Talking Tours: An AI tour guide that provides immersive experiences and information about cultural landmarks and natural sites [77][79]. - Career Dreamer: A tool that helps users explore potential career paths based on their skills and experiences [85][86]. - Learn About: A conversational learning assistant that generates structured content based on user queries [92][94]. - Illuminate: An AI podcast tool that transforms written content into audio discussions with customizable dialogue styles [100][102]. - Stitch: An AI design tool that generates product interface sketches based on text descriptions [107][110].

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Overweight" rating for the industry [6]. Core Insights - The AI industry is currently in a growth cycle, benefiting from continuous optimization of foundational models and the positive interaction between AI applications and models [1][2]. - Google has launched several AI models and XR devices, emphasizing the deep integration of AI and XR technologies, which accelerates the commercialization process [1][2]. - The Gemini series models have become the core focus, with the 2.5 Pro version leading in academic benchmarks and global rankings [11][12]. Summary by Sections AI Integration and Model Development - Google I/O 2025 showcased the comprehensive upgrades to the Gemini models, particularly the 2.5 Pro, which excels in performance and learning assistance [11]. - The introduction of the Gemini Diffusion model aims to enhance inference speed and creativity in text generation, achieving five times the speed of previous models [15]. - The programming assistant Jules integrates with user codebases to assist in various coding tasks, enhancing developer productivity [17][19]. XR Device Development - Google and XREAL have collaborated to develop Project Aura, a new Android XR device utilizing optical see-through technology and Qualcomm Snapdragon XR chips [3][53]. - The device features Gemini's multimodal assistant, enabling real-time environmental analysis and user interaction [56]. AI Shopping and Search Enhancements - Google has introduced a new AI shopping experience that integrates Gemini with Shopping Graph, providing users with extensive product information and virtual try-on capabilities [44]. - The AI Overviews feature in Google Search has been upgraded to cover over 200 countries and support more than 40 languages, improving user search experiences [35][38]. Future Outlook - The report highlights the potential for Gemini to evolve into a universal AI assistant, capable of managing daily tasks and enhancing user productivity [15]. - The strategic partnerships with fashion brands for Project Aura indicate a focus on the stylish attributes of smart glasses, positioning Google as a strong competitor in the AR hardware market [60].

Core Insights - Google held its annual developer conference, Google I/O 2025, showcasing updates across its product lines, including Android, Chrome, Google Search, YouTube, and AI chatbot Gemini [1] Group 1: Gemini Ultra and Features - Gemini Ultra, available only in the U.S., offers the highest level of access to Google AI applications and services for a monthly fee of $249.99, including features like the Veo 3 video generator and the upcoming Gemini 2.5 Pro's Deep Think mode [1] - Subscribers of Gemini Ultra will receive enhanced quotas for NotebookLM and Whisk, along with 30TB of storage across Google services [2] Group 2: AI Enhancements - The Deep Think mode in Gemini 2.5 Pro is an enhanced reasoning mode that improves model performance by synthesizing multiple answers, similar to OpenAI's models [3] - Veo 3, a video generation AI, can create sound effects and voiceovers, and will be available exclusively to Gemini Ultra subscribers [4] - Imagen 4, a faster image generation AI, supports high-resolution outputs and detailed textures, enhancing video creation tools like Flow [5] Group 3: Gemini Application Updates - The Gemini series applications have surpassed 400 million monthly active users [6] - Gemini Live will soon allow all iOS and Android users to share their screens and engage in near real-time voice interactions with AI [7] Group 4: New AI Tools and Projects - Stitch is a new AI tool for designing web and mobile app front-ends, allowing users to generate UI elements and code from simple prompts [8] - Project Mariner, an experimental AI agent, can now handle multiple tasks simultaneously, enabling users to complete online shopping through AI interactions [9] - Project Astra, a low-latency multimodal AI project, is being developed in collaboration with companies like Samsung [10] Group 5: AI Mode and Search Enhancements - AI Mode, an experimental search feature, allows users to pose complex multi-part questions and will support visual search queries later this summer [11] Group 6: Video Conferencing and Communication - Beam, a 3D video conferencing tool, uses multiple cameras to create lifelike remote meetings and will integrate with Google Meet for real-time translation [12] Group 7: Integration and Updates - Gemini will be integrated into Chrome as a new AI browsing assistant, enhancing user experience across various Google applications [14] - Wear OS 6 introduces a unified font and improved interface consistency, while Google Play adds new tools for Android developers [15][16] - Android Studio will incorporate new AI features to assist in app development and quality insights [17]