Lowe’s is making a big bet on artificial intelligence. The home improvement giant recently began rolling out AI-powered voice agents across all 1,700+ stores, aiming to handle the steady stream of customer phone calls that currently pull associates away from helping in-store shoppers.
But here’s the question on every DIYer’s mind: Will this actually make your next trip to Lowe’s better? Or are we trading human expertise for Silicon Valley buzzwords?
Let’s break down what Lowe’s is doing, how it compares to Home Depot’s approach, and what it means for your next project.
What Lowe’s is actually rolling out
Lowe’s AI push isn’t just one thing. It’s actually three interconnected tools built on the same technology foundation:
Mylow is the customer-facing AI advisor that launched in March 2025. You can find it on Lowe’s website and mobile app, ready to answer questions like “When do I plant grass seed?” or “What washer and dryer pair saves the most on utility bills?” It’s built on OpenAI’s GPT-4o and designed to feel like you’re texting a knowledgeable friend who happens to know everything about home improvement.
Mylow Companion is the associate-facing version, and it’s already deployed to every Lowe’s store. Associates carry it on handheld devices and can ask questions via voice or text while standing in the aisle with you. The system draws from Lowe’s entire product catalog and knowledge base, so a plumbing associate can confidently answer questions about lawn care if needed.
The new AI voice agents are what’s making headlines in early 2026. These are intelligent virtual agents (IVAs) that answer phone calls to individual stores. Instead of a ringing phone pulling an associate away from helping customers on the floor, the AI handles routine inquiries like store hours, product availability, and basic project questions.
The voice agents use the same underlying technology as Lowe’s Magic Mirrors, those AR-enabled displays that let you visualize paint colors and products in your space. Chandhu Nair, Lowe’s SVP of AI and Innovation, has been working on this since joining the company in 2020 and forming an early partnership with OpenAI back in 2021, well before ChatGPT became a household name.
The real problem Lowe’s is trying to solve
If you’ve ever stood in a Lowe’s aisle looking for help while watching associates scramble to answer ringing phones, you’ve witnessed the exact problem this rollout targets.
“We get calls to our call centers, but we also get a lot of calls to our stores,” Nair explained in a recent interview with Retail Brew. “It could be something like, ‘Hey, what kind of concrete mix do you need? Do you know what time the store opens?’ And it’s always hard for an associate who’s helping a customer on the floor to go and take a call.”
The goal is what Lowe’s calls “containment” resolving calls without handing them off to a human. Early tests show “good containment rate responses,” though Nair acknowledges they’re still working to improve both containment rates and response accuracy.
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Both Lowe’s and Home Depot saw foot traffic decline in 2025, with Lowe’s down 3.6% year-over-year in Q1. High interest rates and housing market stagnation have homeowners postponing major projects. When every store visit matters more than ever, Lowe’s wants associates focused on the customers standing in front of them, not the ones on the phone.
Nair frames the company’s technology decisions around a simple question: “Is there a real, relevant retail problem that the technology can apply?” In this case, the problem is clear. Whether AI is the right solution remains to be seen.
How Lowe’s AI strategy compares to Home Depot
While Lowe’s is going all-in on AI as foundational infrastructure, Home Depot is taking a more targeted approach. Understanding the difference helps explain what kind of experience each store is optimizing for.
Home Depot’s flagship AI tool is the Material List Builder, launched for professional contractors and serious DIYers. It lets you describe a project in plain English “We’re doing a primary bathroom remodel, replacing the double vanity, adding new recessed lighting, two new mirrors, and a new toilet” and generates a complete materials list organized by project phase. You can edit the list, get product recommendations, and save lists for future jobs. It’s free with a Pro Xtra membership.
The contrast in philosophy is striking. As The Street noted in a recent analysis, “Home Depot is taking a more disciplined, execution-first approach… Lowe’s is treating AI as foundational infrastructure, meaning it’s rebuilding its entire business model around it.”
Home Depot wants to help pros complete specific tasks faster. Lowe’s wants to democratize expertise across every customer interaction.
From a DIYer’s perspective, this means different strengths. Home Depot’s tool is arguably more useful if you’re a contractor managing complex jobs and need accurate material lists. Lowe’s approach may serve you better if you’re a weekend warrior who needs guidance while wandering the aisles, or if you want quick answers without waiting for a human.
The question is which approach actually delivers better results. Home Depot’s execution-first strategy means their tools work reliably for specific use cases. Lowe’s foundational approach has broader ambitions but more points of potential failure.
The human touch question: Will this actually help DIYers?
Here’s where things get complicated. Lowe’s is betting that AI handling phone calls will mean more face-to-face time with associates for customers in stores. But industry data suggests customers aren’t exactly clamoring for more AI in their lives.
According to Metrigy’s Customer Experience Optimization 2025-26 study, 84.7% of consumers prefer human interaction over AI agents. Even when assured that AI could resolve their issue, more than 80% still wanted a person.
That said, the Mylow Companion rollout has shown some promising results. The tool has driven a 200 basis point increase in Net Promoter Score across the chain. Associates report feeling more confident, especially seasonal and new hires who haven’t built up years of department-specific knowledge. Over 50% of interactions happen by voice, which makes sense when you picture an associate with one hand on a cart trying to help a customer.
The real test will be whether AI voice agents can actually resolve issues or just create a new friction point. When the AI works quickly answering “What time do you close?” or “Do you have this washer in stock?” it’s a win for everyone. When it doesn’t, you risk the kind of phone tree frustration that makes customers hang up and shop elsewhere.
Nair seems aware of the stakes. “This is 70% a change management game, 30% a technology game,” he told Retail Brew. Getting associates to trust and effectively use these tools matters as much as the underlying AI capabilities.
What this means for your next store visit
So should you be excited, skeptical, or indifferent about Lowe’s AI push? Here’s the practical breakdown.
If you’re calling the store: Expect faster answers for simple questions. Store hours, basic product availability, and straightforward inquiries should get handled quickly without the usual hold times. But if your question is even slightly complex “Will this specific light fixture work with my existing dimmer switch?” you may find yourself asking to speak to a human anyway.
If you’re shopping in-store: The theory is that associates will be more available since they’re not constantly running to answer phones. In practice, this depends on implementation. If the AI handles 60% of calls effectively, that’s a meaningful improvement. If it’s 30%, you might not notice much difference.
If you’re planning a project: Lowe’s Mylow tool on their website and app is worth trying before you visit. Ask it preliminary questions, get product recommendations, and walk into the store with a clearer idea of what you need. That makes any interaction with associates human or AI more productive.
Some tips for navigating the new system:
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Use Mylow online before calling the store for basic questions
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If you do call and reach the AI, be specific with your requests
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Don’t hesitate to ask for a human if the AI isn’t helping
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Visit during weekday mornings if you want the best shot at finding available associates
The bottom line: Innovation or hype?
Lowe’s AI voice agent rollout is ambitious, and that ambition cuts both ways. The company is making a genuine attempt to solve a real problem the constant tension between helping in-store customers and answering phones. If they succeed, it could meaningfully improve the shopping experience.
But there are real risks. Consumer preference data shows people overwhelmingly want human help, not AI assistance. The technology needs to work flawlessly enough that it doesn’t create new frustrations. And Lowe’s has to resist the temptation to use AI as a reason to reduce staffing, which would defeat the entire purpose.
The competitive angle is also worth watching. Home Depot’s more targeted approach may prove more reliable in the short term, even if it’s less flashy. If Lowe’s voice agents stumble, you can expect Home Depot to stick with their execution-first strategy and let Lowe’s absorb the learning curve.
For now, our take is cautiously optimistic. The Mylow Companion results suggest Lowe’s understands that AI should amplify human expertise, not replace it. If they maintain that philosophy with the voice agents using them to free up associates for meaningful interactions rather than simply cutting costs this could be a genuine improvement.
The test will be six months from now. Are containment rates climbing? Are customer satisfaction scores improving? Are associates finding the tools genuinely helpful, or just another mandate?
We’ll be watching. In the meantime, give the new system a fair shot, but don’t feel bad about asking for a human when you need one. Some problems still require a Red Vest with real experience.
