Home Depot expanded its AI shopping assistant, Magic Apron, to include localized store knowledge across all of its over 2,000 U.S. locations (Retail Dive - Technology). Customers can now access the tool through Store Mode in the retailer's mobile app or by scanning QR codes in stores, using text, voice-to-text, and image search queries to find items, check local availability, navigate stores, ask product questions, and receive personalized guidance in their preferred language (Retail Dive - Technology).
Magic Apron, which debuted in March 2025 as a generative AI tool for the retailer's website and mobile app, now responds to millions of questions every month (Retail Dive - Technology). For commerce practitioners, this expansion exemplifies how large retailers are leveraging localized AI to create frictionless omnichannel experiences where customers get real-time store-specific insights—aisle locations, inventory status, product comparisons—without relying solely on associate assistance, thereby increasing conversion velocity and customer satisfaction in physical retail.
Home Depot has continued developing Magic Apron capabilities through an expanded partnership with Google Cloud announced in January, enabling customers to engage with the tool using plain language and receive conversational advice (Retail Dive - Technology). This positions the company ahead of competitors in demonstrating how AI can enhance rather than replace in-store experiences, setting a benchmark for retail AI deployment at scale.