Rudy Lai
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AI @ Best Buy

Major electronics retailer
Industry
Last updated
July 3, 2025 at 10:44 AM

Summary

  • Best Buy has progressively integrated AI technologies from early 2024, initially focusing on generative AI in customer support, evolving to agentic AI by mid-2025 to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience across digital and physical channels.
  • Key leadership including CEO Corie Barry spearheaded AI-powered initiatives such as a generative AI customer service virtual assistant launched in Q2 2024, AI-enhanced delivery tracking in Q3 2024, and AI-driven personalized product recommendations and search improvements by Q2 2025.
  • AI adoption contributed to layoffs in 2024 as AI replaced routine customer service tasks, with ongoing strategic emphasis on AI-enabled device sales and user engagement improvements aiming to increase revenue and reduce costs, though explicit financial figures remain undisclosed.

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4 AI Use Cases at Best Buy

Product Discovery
2025
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Best Buy plans to implement AI-powered search with conversational filtering and prompts to help customers find products more efficiently online, resulting in a better shopping experience and increased customer confidence. [1][2]
Operational Efficiency
2025
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
AI-driven insights at Best Buy optimize demand forecasting, product placement, inventory management, and pricing strategies to reduce costs and increase inventory turnover effectively. [1][2]
Delivery Tracking
2024
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
AI systems provide customers with minute-by-minute updates on deliveries and installations, allowing management of deliveries and memberships, boosting transparency and convenience in logistics. [1]
Customer Support
2024
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Best Buy employs AI-powered virtual assistants and real-time care agent tools to troubleshoot product issues and handle customer inquiries across online and phone channels, improving response times and support quality. [1][2]

Timeline

2025 Q4

1 updates

Best Buy continued selling AI-themed entertainment products like the 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' DVD, with no additional AI technology developments reported.

2025 Q3

1 updates

Best Buy offered entertainment products referencing AI in titles, such as the Blu-ray release of Steven Spielberg's 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence,' reflecting no significant AI technology news for the company.

2025 Q2

2 updates

Best Buy transitioned to agentic AI expansion across customer service, in-store tools, and operations. The company announced AI-powered search enhancements to improve product discovery and customer decision-making via conversational interfaces and relevant prompts. CEO Corie Barry stated the improvements aim to increase customer confidence and engagement without generative AI terminology explicitly referenced.

2025 Q1

2 updates

Best Buy leveraged AI for operational efficiency improvements through enhanced demand forecasting, product placement optimization, inventory cost reduction, and personalized shopping experiences, including dynamic pricing and AI-powered customer support.

2024 Q4: no updates

2024 Q3

2 updates

Best Buy expanded AI use cases beyond customer support by launching AI-powered delivery tracking tools that provide minute-by-minute updates and enhanced management of deliveries and memberships. Staff received training to promote AI-enabled tech devices, supporting sales growth ambitions.

2024 Q2

4 updates

Best Buy announced and deployed generative AI strategies primarily for customer support, partnering with Google Cloud and Accenture. AI virtual assistants started helping customers with troubleshooting and inquiry handling. CEO Corie Barry highlighted readiness to sell AI-enabled devices. The company also introduced AI tools to improve in-home services and began workforce reductions linked to AI adoption.