Lowe’s AI Assistant Turns Questions Into Sales

Lowe's AI shopping assistant, Mylow, has fielded over 25 million inquiries from customers and store associates since its launch. Engaging with Mylow online leads to three times the conversion rate compared to non-users, according to CEO Marvin Ellison during the company's August earnings call. Ellison emphasized that a well-designed agentic AI experience can significantly influence purchasing decisions.

Mylow also supports a companion tool for in-store associates, enabling them to answer customer questions on the floor efficiently. Online sales for Lowe's increased by 15.7% year-over-year, marking the second consecutive quarter above the 15% growth rate. Ellison attributed this growth to tailored digital experiences, advanced visualization tools, marketplace expansion, and new fulfillment options, all of which contribute to Mylow's effectiveness.

When a customer asks Mylow about the quantity of mulch needed, the AI provides an answer along with relevant product recommendations that can be bought directly. Lowe's launched Mylow in March, detailing how the tool interprets customers' problems and offers complete solutions. Additionally, Mylow assists store employees by answering queries about specific projects, such as painting, providing answers and related product suggestions in seconds.

This capability benefits customers who may not know the exact part or fitting needed for their issues. Home Depot is employing a similar strategy with its Magic Apron assistant, developed using Google Cloud's Gemini models. Unlike simple search results, Magic Apron offers conversational, project-specific advice, recommending appropriate products, guiding customers to relevant items in-store, and suggesting additional materials required for the project.

Retailers are increasingly leveraging AI assistants to guide customers through the shopping process, moving beyond cost-cutting measures to shape the contents of a customer's cart. Mylow and Magic Apron play a crucial role in translating vague real-world problems into structured product selections before a transaction occurs. Recent studies indicate that consumers are comfortable with AI agents handling purchases, with 45% of respondents comfortable with AI completing a transaction on their behalf, rising to 54% among Gen Z. Moreover, 81% of retailers trust AI to act autonomously with proper safeguards, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence and Worldpay's collaborative study "Agents of Change: How Agentic AI Is Redefining Commerce."