IRVING, Texas – Michaels says the AI-powered agent ‘Ask Mike’ – unveiled in May -- is generating strong engagement across the community of shoppers looking to the specialty retailer for merchandise in such categories as arts and crafts, DIY, party goods, sewing supplies and home décor.
"In just a few weeks, Ask Mike has fueled nearly 75,000 conversations, with our community using the tool for everything from party planning to finding the right materials for their first punch-needle pillow," says Heather Bennett, president and chief customer officer at Michaels. "As the destination for creating and celebrating, we're committed to meeting our customers exactly where they are. Ask Mike is more than just a search tool; it's a personalized creative partner for our customers so they can find what they need to bring their unique visions to life."
Ask Mike was developed with Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience to deliver real-time, personalized creative guidance to shoppers. Michaels says the agent is helping customers quickly discover the right products and spark new ideas across Michaels' extensive assortment.
Shoppers are leveraging the tool for a wide spectrum of creative and celebratory needs, with over 60% of interactions focused on product discovery across Michaels' online assortment.
The company says users are treating Ask Mike as a versatile creative assistant, turning to it for everything from party planning – like "help me plan my child's birthday party" – to finding the perfect finishing touches, such as "I need a fabric for DIY curtains." This ability to share specific, intent-driven requests demonstrates how Ask Mike is transforming the online shopping experience into a personalized conversation that helps shoppers move from inspiration to action.
"Seeing a retailer move from concept to a production-grade AI in just six weeks is a signal of where the industry is heading,” says Paul Tepfenhart, global director, retail industry strategy and solutions, Google Cloud. “Michaels is showing what it looks like to put AI at the center of the shopping experience, not just as a service tool, but as a true driver of discovery and conversion."
Michaels says its plans for the agent include expanding its capabilities in areas such as AI-driven product overviews and contextual prompts integrated directly into product detail pages.
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