Michaels launched Ask Mike, an AI-powered shopping assistant developed with Google Cloud to provide real-time, personalized craft and project guidance. Available across desktop, mobile and the Michaels app, the tool allows shoppers to describe creative ideas conversationally and receive curated product recommendations from the retailer’s online assortment.
Built with the Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience platform, Ask Mike supports product discovery for projects ranging from party planning to punch-needle crafts. Since its May 2026 launch, the assistant has generated nearly 75,000 conversations, with more than 60% of interactions focused on finding products. Michaels plans to add AI-generated product overviews and contextual prompts directly to product pages.
For shoppers, Ask Mike reduces friction when planning DIY projects by connecting conversational guidance with relevant craft supplies. The tool reflects the broader retail shift toward AI assistants that support discovery, personalization and conversion across digital shopping channels.
AI Shopping Assistants
Michaels Unveiled Its AI Assistent Ask Mike With Google
Trend Themes
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Conversational Product Discovery — Retailers are embedding chat-based guidance into shopping journeys, creating new value through intuitive search experiences that translate vague ideas into relevant product selections.
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Project-based Personalization — AI systems that understand shopper goals and creative contexts are enabling more tailored recommendations tied to complete projects rather than individual item searches.
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Contextual Commerce Prompts — Product pages enhanced with AI-generated overviews and prompts are reshaping digital merchandising by making recommendations more timely, explanatory and conversion-focused.
Industry Implications
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Retail Technology — AI-powered customer experience platforms are expanding the role of retail software from transactional support to personalized discovery and guided decision-making.
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Arts and Crafts — Creative supply retailers are using intelligent assistants to simplify project planning, making hobby categories more accessible to beginners and time-constrained shoppers.
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E-commerce — Digital storefronts are evolving into advisory environments where conversational interfaces reduce search friction and strengthen links between inspiration and purchase.