Ace Hardware Is Using AI To Make Store Associates Smarter: Here’s How
Ace Hardware has rolled out an AI-powered tool called Hey ARMA to over 2,300 of its stores, enhancing its associates' ability to assist customers with real-time product information, inventory location, and project guidance. The technology is integrated into a familiar handheld device, aiming to boost employee confidence and improve customer service without replacing human workers. By combining local store expertise with enterprise-level data, Ace seeks to maintain its brand promise of being the most helpful hardware store. The tool has already handled more than 55,000 associate queries and is part of a broader strategy to scale personalized service across its 5,200-store network.
- ▪Hey ARMA is an AI-enhanced version of Ace Hardware’s existing handheld device, ARMA, used by store associates to access real-time product and inventory information.
- ▪The tool has processed over 55,000 queries across more than 2,300 stores since its February 2026 rollout.
- ▪Ace Hardware emphasizes that Hey ARMA is designed to empower employees, not replace them, by increasing their confidence and knowledge during customer interactions.
- ▪Associates can use voice, text, or image inputs to quickly identify products, check availability, locate items in-store, and get usage guidance.
- ▪CEO John Venhuizen stated that workers who leverage AI effectively will have a competitive advantage, but AI itself is not replacing jobs at the company.
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BusinessRetailHow Ace Hardware Employees Are Using AI To Serve ShoppersByShelley E. Kohan,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Shelley E. Kohan covers the retail industry and is based in New York.Follow AuthorApr 28, 2026, 08:00am EDTApr 28, 2026, 10:12am EDTWith over 5,200 locations and a brand promise built on helpfulness, Ace Hardware is betting Hey ARMA can deliver the on-demand expertise today's shoppers expect.Courtesy of Ace HardwareAce Hardware has quietly deployed one of brick-and-mortar retail’s most ambitious frontline AI tools. In February 2026, the company rolled out a new AI feature which was added to a long-standing handheld device used by store associates named ARMA (ACE Retailer Mobile Assistant).
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