AI not just a buzzword for Lowe's Companies as its 24-hour hackathon tackles major challenges

Lowe's Companies has held an AI focused 24-hour hackathon, with the aim of producing practical ideas to tackle complex business challenges.

In a LinkedIn post, Seemantini Godbole, EVP, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Lowe’s, said: "For us, AI isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a toolkit we’re using to create real, scalable solutions that reduce friction and deliver value for both our associates and our customers."

"At Lowe's AI Day, we celebrated that work and looked ahead to what’s next. We brought together brilliant minds from across legal, finance, tech, and store operations, Vincent Scalese Adam Filipponi plus industry leaders like Aravind Srinivas at Perplexity Russell Kaplan at Cognition and Alex Laubscher at Windsurf.”

The retailer capped the day with the aforementioned 24-hour hackathon.

"We didn’t just talk about what AI can do, we wrestled with what it should do! We’re committed to building with discipline, scaling responsibly, and measuring real impact, never tech for tech’s sake. That’s the work our teams do every day, and it’s inspiring to watch,” Godbole said.

OpenAI

OpenAI last week announced the release of GPT-5, pitched as its most advanced AI model yet.

“At Lowe’s, we stay grounded in what guides us as we transform with technology: the why, not just the wow. We’re proud to be on this journey with OpenAI, exploring how frontier models like GPT-5 can deliver real-world impact,” Godbole commented.

“With every release, we ask: How can this help our associates solve problems faster? How can it make home improvement easier and more intuitive for everyone? We’ve already seen generative AI transform how we work and serve our customers. But the greatest opportunity is still ahead of combining advanced models with trusted data, deep domain expertise, and purpose built tools to help solve problems and fulfill dreams for the home.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

AI will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.