### Big Store Companies Start Using Smart AI Helpers This Week

Two giant companies made news this week by working together to help customers using agentic AI. The Home Depot, one of the biggest home improvement stores in the United States, and Google Cloud announced a big partnership. They are using Google's smart technology to create AI helpers called agents. These are not regular chatbots that just answer simple questions. Instead, they are smart AI agents that can do real work for customers.

The Home Depot added new AI powers to an app called Magic Apron. This app can now find exactly where products are in the store. It can tell customers to go to "Aisle 5, Bay 2" to find what they need. The app also gives helpful tips while customers are shopping in the store. The company built this to put "expert help in every customer's pocket," whether they are at home, at work, or walking through the store.

### Google Cloud Shows Off New AI Customer Service Tools

On January 11th, Google Cloud showed off a new tool called Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience at NRF 2026, a big retail event in the United States. This tool is different from older customer service systems. Instead of customers clicking through boring menus, they can just talk normally to the AI, and it understands what they really want.

The new tool works on phones, text messages, computers, and websites. It can understand over 40 different languages. It can even "see" pictures that customers send, like a photo of a broken appliance, and help fix the problem right away. The system also helps real people who work as customer service helpers. It gives them tips to help customers faster.

### Another Big Company Announces Smart AI Assistant

At CES 2026, a big technology event, Caterpillar, a company that makes huge machines, announced their new Cat AI Assistant. The company's leader said it is "not a chatbot" but instead a group of smart agents working together. This AI assistant can understand words, text messages, pictures, and videos all at the same time.

The Cat AI Assistant is special because it can actually do things, not just give advice. It can help customers use their big machines. It can also watch for problems and tell customers when something needs fixing. It can remind customers when they need more fuel or when a machine needs service.

### Customers Really Liked AI Help During Holidays

During the holiday shopping season, customers used AI helpers a lot more than before. AI technology drove about 20% of all retail sales, which was $262 billion in money. Customers used AI and agentic support systems more than twice as much during the busy holidays compared to normal times.

In December, something amazing happened. The number of conversations people had with AI jumped up 66% compared to November. Customers used AI agents to do all sorts of tasks, like changing where their packages should go and sending things back to stores. People also used third-party AI tools like ChatGPT to search for products. This tripled or doubled compared to last year.

### Some Customers Still Worry About Losing Real People

Even though AI is helping more, many customers have a big worry. About half of all customers say their number one fear about AI is not being able to talk to a real person anymore. Some people say they got zero help from AI customer service tools.

Because of this worry, some stores are making human help a special feature. Nordstrom, a nice clothing store in the United States, makes sure real people are there if customers want to talk face-to-face. Studies show that more than 4 out of 5 customers like companies that keep real human helpers.

### Big Grocery Stores Use New AI Tools Too

Kroger, one of the biggest grocery stores in the United States, announced they are using Google's new Gemini AI system. The store will use it to help customers shop and even find recipe ideas. This shows that agentic AI is not just for clothes stores or tool stores. It is spreading to many different kinds of businesses.