ScottsMiracle-Gro launches a new AI-powered agent built on Google Cloud Vertex AI that provides product recommendations and gardening advice

MARYSVILLE, Ohio, and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The ScottsMiracle-Gro Company and Google Cloud today announced a new collaboration to help transform the leading lawn and garden company's customer experience using generative AI (gen AI). As part of the partnership, ScottsMiracle-Gro introduced an AI agent built on Google Cloud Vertex AI that functions as the first-of-its-kind "gardening sommelier" and provides highly tailored gardening advice and product recommendations.

ScottsMiracle-Gro is currently testing the app in an internal pilot program and plans to roll it out to its team of more than 1,000 field sales associates next month in advance of the peak lawn and garden season. Upon further development and testing with the sales team, the company intends to introduce the app directly to consumers through a variety of channels at a later date.

ScottsMiracle-Gro's consumer products for lawn and garden care are available at major home centers, hardware and other retail stores nationwide. Given the breadth of its solutions, ScottsMiracle-Gro in-store field sales associates play a critical role in helping to educate retail partners as well as consumers on product selection, uses, and related topics.

Traditionally, sales associates have relied on a 450-page training document for product information. The new AI-powered agent, however, is accessible on a mobile device and allows associates to access product information in real time. Users ask questions in natural language prompts, and receive detailed product knowledge and advice that they can then share directly to in-store retail partners or consumers. For example, an associate can ask questions about which products are most appropriate based on the season and a consumer's unique growing environment. As a result, ScottsMiracle-Gro sales associates are now empowered to provide customers with more meaningful product recommendations and advice to improve the overall customer experience.

"At ScottsMiracle-Gro, we want to offer our retail partners and consumers the best lawn and garden products coupled with the best advice. Google's powerful gen AI solutions provide us with an incredible opportunity to reinvent how people engage with our brands and learn about our products," said Emily Wahl, vice president, Information Technology, ScottsMiracle-Gro. "In short, Google Cloud delivers a real competitive advantage for us."

"ScottsMiracle-Gro is demonstrating the power of gen AI to reinvent customer journeys," said Carrie Tharp, vice president, Solutions & Industries, Google Cloud. "ScottsMiracle-Gro was able to quickly deploy its new AI-powered customer agent, empowering employees and enhancing both retail partner and consumer experiences."

In addition to Google Cloud Vertex AI and Gemini models, ScottsMiracle-Gro continues to leverage other Google Cloud services, including Google Workspace to drive work mobility, productivity, and innovation across its workforce.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $3.6 billion in sales, the Company is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company's brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company's Scotts, Miracle-Gro, and Ortho brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. For additional information, visit us at .

About Google Cloud
Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.

SOURCE Google Cloud