IBM’s Watson and Macy’s team up to make in-store shopping assistant

Macy’s shoppers across the United States will soon have a chance to shop with IBM’s Watson.

Today, the two companies announced a pilot program for an in-store shopping assistant powered by Watson. The Macy’s On Call pilot program will take place in 10 department stores around the country.

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Macy’s On Call can be accessed via web browser by visiting macys.com/storehelp.

The bot will answer questions in natural language about specific products, such as “Where can I find Dolce Gabbana perfume?” and focus on answering frequently asked questions, providing store navigation, and connecting customers to the unique offerings and services at each location.

By interacting with Macy’s On Call, Watson’s artificial intelligence assures that the bot gets smarter about the needs and frequently asked questions at each location. Watson will be delivered via location-based software provided by Satisfi.

Half of the pilot stores will have the bot, and half will have the bot and an option to page a store worker from your smartphone. Visit the IBM website for a list of participating stores.