• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, March 19, 2025

As retailers race to develop AI shopping tools, standing out is a challenge. Lowe’s hopes Mylow, billed as the first AI-powered home improvement virtual advisor, changes that. Chandhu Nair, senior vice president of technology, tells Retail Insider how the innovation helps shoppers with everything from reseeding a lawn to fixing a leaky faucet.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Retail Insider: What makes Mylow unique, and how does it create a distinctly “Lowe’s” experience?

Chandhu Nair: We’ve been using AI for years in forecasting and other backend areas, but ChatGPT changed the game. Instead of endless experiments, we focused on three areas: how customers shop, how we sell, and how we work -- each with financial goals.

Home improvement is never easy. Even if you’re not a DIY person, things break, and projects arise. Our mission is solving problems and fulfilling dreams. Say you have a leaky faucet—do you need a washer, a motion sensor battery, or a whole new faucet? Mylow acts as a 24/7 team member, not just giving step-by-step instructions but curating solutions, including links to helpful YouTube videos. The feedback has been very positive.

Retail Insider: What common pitfalls hold back AI shopping apps?

Nair: Three main things. First, setup—people don’t want to download yet another app, so we built Mylow into our existing rewards workflow. Second, users prefer visual guidance over text, so we prioritized videos and product recommendations over generic answers. Third, they need a smooth, direct shopping experience, making products easy to find on our site.

Retail Insider: How does Mylow impact Lowe’s business?

Nair: Driving ecommerce also drives sales to stores -- many people buy online and pick up in-store. Our goal is to be the most assistive, helpful brand in home improvement, which builds loyalty beyond just sales or data collection.

Think of the person you’d call for home improvement advice. For me, that’s my brother. Even if he can’t solve my problem, he gives me direction so I sound informed when talking to a contractor. That’s what we want Mylow to be -- more helpful than your go-to advisor. And in stores, sometimes no associate specializes in a given area, like electrical or millwork. Mylow is there 24/7.

Retail Insider: How does AI affect store associates? Are they worried about job loss?

Nair: I get this question a lot. AI is here to augment, not replace. We don’t have many tradespeople like electricians or plumbers on staff, so AI helps fill knowledge gaps, especially for newer employees. Generative AI lets us solve problems we couldn’t before. Even as it creates efficiencies, it addresses needs that weren’t being met.

Retail Insider: Lowe’s is expanding its use of Apple Vision Pro for home design, even though some are calling that device a a flop for Apple. Why?

Nair: Customers want to visualize their projects. The web is two-dimensional, but home renovation is immersive. Imagine spending $40,000 on a kitchen remodel -- you want to see it before committing. We’ve tested every device on the market, and Apple Vision Pro delivers the best experience, with AI-driven interactivity through gestures, eye tracking, and movement.

Apple has been a great partner. With Lowe’s Style Studio, customers can swap cabinets, countertops, and lighting in a virtual space, just as they would in-store. Last year’s pilot in three markets was a hit, especially among couples and families making joint decisions. We even created a companion app so others can see the design on an iPad. The future of this device remains to be seen, but immersive experiences like this are essential to what we do.