Ralph Lauren just leveled up its digital commerce play with Ask Ralph, a conversational AI assistant that launched this week through the brand's mobile app. Built on Microsoft's Azure OpenAI platform, the tool functions as a one-on-one stylist, interpreting natural language requests from "What should I wear to dinner with my in-laws?" to specific styling queries about pieces a customer already owns.
The system responds with complete, shoppable outfit recommendations drawn from Polo Ralph Lauren's current inventory, presenting them as visual laydowns that users can refine through follow-up questions. Instead of suggesting individual items, Ask Ralph curates head-to-toe looks with accompanying styling tips, integrating content from across Ralph Lauren's ecosystem. The company plans to expand the feature to additional brand lines and international markets based on initial user engagement.
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Consumers increasingly expect shopping to feel like a dialogue, not a transaction. Ask Ralph mimics the intimacy of speaking to an in-store stylist, but with the convenience of a mobile app. It satisfies a consumer craving for individualized attention, minus the friction of scheduling appointments or visiting a store.
Whether for their wardrobes, workouts, finances or meals, people want co-pilots. And AI makes it possible for brands to offer personal assistance at a previously unimaginable scale. AI won't replace all human stylists (or trainers or personal bankers or chefs), but it will democratize guidance and support.
