Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
The Home Depot currently offers more than a dozen AI-powered capabilities, with numerous others in development. Through new artificial intelligence tools, the company is delivering its home improvement expertise directly to millions of DIY customers and professional contractors.
“Everything we build is to improve the customer and associate experience,” says Angie Brown, executive vice president and CIO.
DIYers
The Home Depot is simplifying the DIY journey by providing personalized, real-time advice that makes even the most complex projects feel achievable, paired with more seamless AI search and product discovery capabilities thanks to new technology integrations.
- Magic Apron & Outdoor Assistant
This virtual expert brings employee knowledge to customers virtually. With the Outdoor Assistant, customers can take a photo of a plant for immediate guidance on care, safety and sunlight. - ChatGPT Product Discovery
Customers can now discover the latest Home Depot product catalog in ChatGPT. Customers can browse visually and refine results conversationally within the app, including side-by-side product comparisons, to find the product they need.
PROs
Pros shop at The Home Depot an average of 60 times per year. To support the most complex parts of their workflows, The Home Depot has launched AI-powered solutions that simplify and save time.
“We’ve done multiple takeoffs with The Home Depot and have seen them improve every single time, and we’re excited to do our next one with their AI features,” says Vibe Construction Group in a statement.
- Materials List Builder
Pros can create actionable job lists in minutes using natural language, voice-to-text or spreadsheet uploads. - Blueprint Takeoffs
Pros can use AI to deliver complete material lists and project quotes in days instead of weeks. - Big & Bulky Tracking
Get real-time visibility for complex job-site deliveries, ensuring crews are ready the moment materials arrive.
AI Behind the Scenes
While tools like Magic Apron are highly visible, some of Home Depot’s most impactful innovations happen where customers never see them. These solutions are directly responsible for the speed and reliability of capabilities like same-day and next-day delivery.
- Order Intelligence
Currently live in more than a dozen facilities, this system leverages AI to identify and solve potential delivery misses before they ever impact the customer. - Route & Load Optimization
By partnering with Google and Microsoft, Home Depot uses AI to optimize truck routes and loads, ensuring faster delivery and reducing the number of vehicles on the road.
Putting People at the Heart of Technology
At its core, Home Depot’s AI transformation is an investment in enhancing the customer experience. Jordan Broggi, executive vice president of customer experience and president of online, says the true power of these tools is the time they return.
“We’re a project business. Our goal with AI is to empower both our customers and our associates by removing friction from home improvement,” Broggi says. “We’re providing world-class tools that give time and expertise to our teams and confidence to our customers, allowing everyone to focus on what matters most: expert, human-to-human problem solving and bringing projects to life.”
