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How retailers like Lowe's are using AI to make shopping 'simpler, faster, and more fun'

How retailers like Lowe's are using AI to make shopping 'simpler, faster, and more fun'

Lowe's is using AI to optimize store layouts and meet changing customer needs.
Computer vision models can also offer a lot of potential for retailers.
This article is part of "How AI Is Changing Everything," a series on AI adoption across industries.
The next time you stop by Lowe's for a new house plant, supplies to prepare for hurricane season, or a part to fix a bathroom leak, the quantity and in-store location of the product will likely have been influenced by artificial intelligence.
The home-improvement retailer is using AI systems to develop a greater understanding of fast-changing customer needs and expectations and to optimize its store layouts accordingly. For example, in the case of a plant, AI could predict growing demand for a certain type of seasonal shrub and increase its orders as interest rises, then place the plants in the most obvious in-store location.
In the case of hurricane preparedness, sudden weather changes can be taken into account to order larger volumes of flashlights and weather radios. And plumbing items may be placed closer to the front of the store for leaks that require emergency attention during harsh and unpredictable seasons.
Chandhu Nair, the senior vice president of data, AI, and innovation at Lowe's, told Business Insider that the technology is allowing the store chain to create more immersive shopping experiences that are also easy and quick to navigate.
This effort is being driven by front-of-house retail staff and white-collar workers behind the scenes, who are ensuring that AI augments rather than replaces their jobs.
A team-wide effort
Nair said that delivering a "simpler, faster, and more fun" physical retail experience requires large volumes of real-world data, like "store traffic patterns" and "local preferences," provided by store associates and customers. It also needs the right tools for Lowe's spatial planning teams to extract meaningful insights from it, he added.
Previously, these teams relied largely on manual processes for collecting this information, analyzing it, and putting the insights into practice. Consequently, Nair said it could take months for Lowe's to see any meaningful results. But AI-powered spatial intelligence systems have reduced this to "a fraction of that time."
Nair said this is paramount because new product trends are always emerging and disappearing, especially because of social media apps like TikTok. He said, "We can now swap layouts more frequently throughout the year, reflecting what customers in that area need at that time."
Besides spatial intelligence and data analysis tools, Lowe's is also exploring the potential of digital twins — a piece of software that generates a virtual version of a physical environment, such as a retail store. Nair said the company has used Nvidia's 3D graphics platform, Omniverse, to create an early-stage app that offers sales and inventory data, automatically sorts stock, generates 3D versions of its physical assets, and more from a single platform.
If it ultimately gets adopted, "It would give merchants a way to test and refine layouts digitally before making changes in-store, helping surface the most relevant products in ways that align with how local customers shop," he told BI.
AI for smarter shopping
Lowe's isn't the only retailer that believes in the potential of AI. Research from Honeywell, a multinational conglomerate, found that 80% of retailers will acquire AI systems over the coming months to better understand customers, create a more efficient shopping experience, and improve worker productivity.
Computer vision models, in particular, can also offer a lot of potential for retailers. Vinod Goje, a software engineering leader and AI solutions strategist, told BI that such systems are capable of generating heat maps that signal parts of the store with the most and least foot traffic, allowing workers to place products and design retail layouts more strategically.
Goje added that retailers can also install computer vision systems on shelves to ensure products are in the right place and replenished when stock runs low. The tech can also work with AI to show customers personalized offers on in-store smart screens, he said.
In the future, agentic AI systems, which are designed to make decisions independent of humans, could disrupt the retail sector even further. Sucharita Kodali, principal analyst at market research firm Forrester, told BI that AI agents could find people to fill in for ill employees, order merchandise when stock levels are low, and develop marketing plans in line with available stock.
Challenges to consider
Of course, as retailers like Lowe's become more reliant on AI to improve efficiencies, concerns are growing that the technology could wipe out millions of blue-collar jobs in the next few years. That said, Nair emphasized that Lowe's approach is to augment staff and not put them out of work; using AI for store-layout optimization requires "human creativity," he said, in addition to "data-powered insights" and "efficient technology."
Amid concerns about AI adoption, Nair emphasized that the company isn't using "technology for technology's sake," but rather focusing on solutions that address staff's biggest pain points, based on feedback from in-store and e-commerce teams.
Looking ahead
Although many of Lowe's AI projects are still in their infancy, Nair is optimistic about their role in the century-old retailer's future. He said his team will continue to "get better at connecting insights and predictions" to "adapt stores even faster" and create "smarter and more personal" experiences for its loyal customers.
To do this, Nair and his team will continue to experiment with new AI tools, improve them through "quicker feedback loops," and strive to create "a high-value retail experience that keeps evolving with our customers."
He told BI, "We're excited about what's ahead and how AI will help us keep solving problems and fulfilling dreams for the home."
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Experts Reveal How To Avoid This Rude Email Habit
Experts Reveal How To Avoid This Rude Email Habit

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time2 hours ago

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Experts Reveal How To Avoid This Rude Email Habit

To get ahead in your career, you need a strong network. And part of that means learning how to email people for their time and connections. One of the simple yet critical requests you'll encounter in your life is being asked to introduce someone else over email, or needing an introduction yourself. Introducing two people over email is a social and professional skill everyone needs to learn, but so many of us get it wrong. It takes emotional intelligence and delicate phrasing to make it as easy as possible for everyone to get the outcome they want. If you do not want to confuse and irritate your connections, you need to be thoughtful about how you broker an introduction between two people over email ― and how you reply. We asked email and etiquette experts exactly where we go wrong and tips for how to be as courteous and as clear as possible in these requests. Here's their advice: The rudest thing you can do? Assume everyone is OK with being contacted for help. 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No one likes being surprised with a task they did not agree to do. In this way, you preserve your relationship with your connection by letting them know that their time is important to you. And it can be polite to ask upfront about their preferred method of communication ― especially if this person's contact information is usually private. You can end this email with a line like: 'P.S. If you are willing to talk to them, do you prefer your home email, your work, email, or a text?' Schwalbe suggested. Even if you explained the request in a previous email or text, you should still summarize who everyone is in your official email to the two people being connected. 'Don't presume that the person you asked is going to remember, even if only a couple of days have gone by,' Schwalbe said. Here is a basic fictional template of how this could go: Subject line: Mark <> Julia Hey Mark and Julia, As I mentioned earlier, I'm delighted to make this introduction. 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Torn between Amsterdam and the US for grad school, she made a pros and cons list to guide her decision. Take a look.
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Business Insider

time3 hours ago

  • Business Insider

Torn between Amsterdam and the US for grad school, she made a pros and cons list to guide her decision. Take a look.

When Royanne Ng got into Columbia University last year, she should have been elated. Instead, the nearly $80,000 first-year tuition and fees — not including housing — made her stomach turn. The Singaporean student turned the Ivy League program down and chose one across the Atlantic instead for a fraction of the cost. At Columbia, she was offered a spot in the Film and Media Studies MA with a concentration in emergent media — a track that explores formats like virtual and augmented reality. The 28-year-old is now pursuing a one-year master's in cultural data and AI at the University of Amsterdam, a program that blends machine learning with theory and tech policy. Ng also applied to NYU but wasn't accepted, and she ultimately dropped her application to the University of Edinburgh in the UK. Her postgrad degree had to be "very strategic," she told Business Insider — a move to boost her job prospects and reposition her career in Singapore. 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NYC used to be the fashion capital of the world — now you can hardly find a decent clothing store
NYC used to be the fashion capital of the world — now you can hardly find a decent clothing store

New York Post

time5 hours ago

  • New York Post

NYC used to be the fashion capital of the world — now you can hardly find a decent clothing store

It's time for class to return New York, New York. Once, a helluva town. The prices stay up but the merchandise is down. Days of old, need shmattas for a wedding, confirmation, bar mitzvah, divorce settlement, you'd just walk in the West 30s and see dudes pushing racks of dresses, coats, suits. Shove names like Gucci, Valentino, Chanel, Dior. That Seventh Avenue chunk was Fashion Alley. So busy that — amble by in your own outfit — some rack-pusher could've even hustled it right off your behind to resell to a pushcart in Venezuela. These movable racks had clothes, shoes, sprinkles, feathers, fashion, flowers — many Washington, DC, thieves ago — that was then IT! Not now. Sayonara. Products aren't in stores. Why? Because there aren't many stores. Because shops aren't paying their bills. Saturation was luxury clientele. Now they're not buying what they did. Handbags? Meh 'Handbags do not always enthuse luxury spenders. Chanel, Gucci, Balenciaga, Valentino, Dior changed their top designers. Sales are down. Money's down. The look is down. Revenue is from a wearable look. That's what's notable. But look at what's wearable today,' so says a designer who formerly dressed the Oscars and Tonys. 'Small brands are even affected. Tees made in China, Vietnam, Uruguay. It's scary. Fashion's not unique, not special, not wanted in the big time. No reason for the consumer to shop. 'VIP society has become casual. Jeans for a thousand dollars? Chanel shirt to go with the jeans — $1,200. 'And European runway garbage isn't wearable. Theirs is your crotch hanging out, butt crack visible, breasts grabbable, designers making your navel into a small potted plant growing feathers. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters 'The onetime personal shopper's been poached. That bar mitzvah or top-of-the-line wedding shopper who went to your home with carte blanche so you needn't suffer dressing room tryouts has switched to everyday Nordstroms. Once the prevail of Saks 5th, Neimans, those high-priced, nose-up-your-behind salespeople who'd hand-carry original Paris creations to a VIP? Gone. Kaput.' Stores closing. The new generation wears garbage. Fast fashion. Guys do T-shirts. Stomachs hang out. Chopped tops, cutoff jeans. They'll spend on food and experiences — not clothing. It's only to look hot on Instagram or TikTok. You have to give consumers a reason to buy. Canadians no longer come. Chinese are buying less. Europeans are down in terms of shopping here. Luxury people aren't customers anymore. Stores are going out of business. No one has style I was in Due restaurant the other night. Throats were in pasta. Behinds were in jeans. Watch, French billionaire Bernard Arnault who already owns LVMH, Dior, Bulgari, Givenchy, Fendi, Tiffany, Celine, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Pucci, Loro Piana, Loewe, Guerlain, Sephora, plus another stock of stores, and already owns 57th and 5th's three most famous corners . . . watch. Just watch. WATCH. He'll grab Bergdorf's next. With shmattas' hem lengths today, if a female wants her appendix taken out and doesn't want it to show, they'll have to remove it through her nose. And not only in New York, kids, not only in New York.

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