How Home Depot is rebuilding retailing with AI

Over the past few years, Home Depot has been rebuilding its business with more artificial intelligence intended to make shopping easier and workers more efficient. But the home-improvement retailer’s tech-focused C-suite team leading these efforts has also been recently refurbished. Franziska “Fran” Bell became Home Depot’s chief technology officer in April, after most recently serving as chief data, AI, and analytics officer at automaker Ford Motor. Eleven months before her appointment, 27-year Home Depot veteran Angie Brown ascended to the role of chief information officer. And yet another key technology executive is Jordan Broggi, who became executive vice president of customer experience and the online channel in June 2024. Some of the top AI applications these executives oversee include an AI assistant called Magic Apron and a customer service AI system built with Google Cloud, the latter recently tested in 50 stores and proving during the pilot program that the voice agents could understand what a customer was calling about in 10 seconds. Internally, Microsoft Copilot has been made available to office workers, Anthropic’s Claude coding system is helping speed up software development, and machine learning algorithms are guiding more efficient workflows for store associates. Brown says that all the AI investments need to link to one of three core priorities: support merchandising within the physical stores, cultivate an interconnected retail ecosystem that involves digital channels, and grow business with contractors, builders, and other professionals who tend to spend a lot more at Home Depot than do-it-yourself (DIY) shoppers. And while some technologists have recently aimed to focus their AI efforts on fewer, bigger use cases, Brown says she doesn’t approach her investments with such a restrictive mindset. “Am I going to limit the number of use cases that can leverage AI to solve a problem?” Brown rhetorically asks. “I don’t want to. If AI can hel