Gap Inc. has started to scale Bridgette, an AI enabled virtual career guide for seasonal hiring, across its stores and distribution centres.

Bridgette answers candidate questions at any hour, coordinates interviews and sends reminders. In a pilot, nearly 45,000 candidates engaged with it, and it has scheduled more than 7,000 interviews for store leaders. 

In a LinkedIn post, Sven Gerjets, EVP and CTO at Gap Inc., said: "It works every day of the week, which is a better schedule than mine. What I care about most is what it does not do. Managers still run the interviews and make the hiring decisions. That is the point."

He added: "Our approach to AI is human centered and digitally enabled. For every step in a process, we ask what should be automated, what should be AI assisted, and what should stay with a person. Then we redesign the work around the outcome instead of speeding up the old process."

"Hiring is a good example, because the repetitive coordination was crowding out the conversations that build great teams. I keep coming back to a simple test. Does the technology give people their time back for the human work that matters most?"

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

AI will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world, have now closed for entries. Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2026 shortlists and finalists here.

We received a record number of entries this year and many fantastic examples of technology excellence driving transformative change across the global retail sector.

Congratulations to all those who made it through the initial submission process! It’s now over to our star studded judging panel who will decide the winners to be announced at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London. 

The event will be held on Wednesday, 4th November and consist of a drinks reception, three course meal, awards ceremony presided over by award winning stand-up comedian, presenter, actor and broadcaster, Aurie Styla, and after party until 1am.

Click here to book your place at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, 4th November.