What You Need to Know
Ralph Lauren has introduced Ask Ralph, an AI-powered shopping assistant built into its mobile app. The tool gives users personalized styling advice and product recommendations through natural conversation. Customers can ask open-ended questions like “What should I wear to a concert?” or “How can I style my navy-blue men’s blazer?” and then refine the suggestions with follow-up prompts. For now, it pulls from in-stock Polo Ralph Lauren items, with plans to expand across more of the company’s brands.
Developed with Microsoft and powered by Azure OpenAI technology, Ask Ralph is designed to bring the feel of an in-store stylist into the digital space. Ralph Lauren says this builds on its long history with Microsoft, dating back to one of fashion’s first e-commerce platforms 25 years ago. The company also plans to make the assistant more personalized over time, tailoring recommendations as customers interact with it.
This move reflects a broader trend in retail. Other fashion players like Stitch Fix and ASOS have rolled out digital stylists, while home improvement retailers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot now offer AI guides for projects and product advice. Even Williams-Sonoma plans to debut an AI culinary assistant. Despite the buzz, industry data shows mixed results—retailers are investing heavily in AI, but only a minority report significant improvements in the online shopping experience so far.
