Dive Brief:
- William-Sonoma is investing in AI to improve customer service and experiences across channels, executives said on a Q2 2025 earnings call last week.
- The retailer launched an AI-powered customer service assistant at Pottery Barn Kids earlier in the summer and scaled it across all brands last week, according to CEO Laura Alber. The software is designed to improve customer issue resolution rates and speed while reducing costs.
- Williams-Sonoma is also preparing to launch an AI-powered “culinary companion” that will help customers with product discovery and offer advice on topics like holiday entertaining, Alber said.
Dive Insight:
Williams-Sonoma is approaching AI as an amplifier for its existing strengths that can deliver a return on investment, Chief Technology and Digital Officer Sameer Hassan said on the earnings call. This includes applying AI to the company’s expertise as a home and culinary retailer to create experiences that stand out from more generic chatbots.
While most businesses report a good return on investment from their AI investments, nearly one-third say the technology has only made a small improvement to the digital experience, according to a survey by Storyblok.
Retailers like Walmart and Home Depot are using AI to enhance the in-store experience. Williams-Sonoma is looking beyond the in-store experience into ways AI can enhance its experience no matter where customers shop.
“When you think about our multichannel model, all the different ways that we connect with our customers, it's not just an online play,” Hassan said during the call. “It's not just a digital play. We connect with our customers through our stores, through our in-home programs, and AI, again, allows us to amplify this experience in really exciting ways.”
Data is a major part of Williams-Sonoma’s AI push. The company invested heavily in making its data clear and actionable, which is helping the retailer deliver solid results.
“And while you can say AI is the engine that's driving all this growth, data is the fuel that makes it work, and our CRM and business data is making that engine run,” Hassan said.
Results were positive across all of Williams-Sonoma’s brands. Comparable brand revenue grew 3.7% year over year in the second quarter of 2025, according to a company earnings report. Pottery Barn Kids was the strongest of the company’s brands, with comparable revenue up 5.3% year over year.
