Home Depot using secret AI technology at self-checkouts to catch shoplifters

Home Depot is using a futuristic-sounding new weapon to stop shoplifting at its self-checkout counters — using AI to keep a constant eye on customers.

Major retailers like Walmart and Dollar General are removing self-checkout lanes due to increasing thefts and customer complaints.

But Home Depot has another solution: something called “computer vision.” In a nutshell, it’s a series of cameras monitored by computers powered by artificial intelligence.

The staff is then warned via computer if there is a risk of theft.

The technology is very different from simply having security staff monitor the standard CCTV cameras trained in the area.

Ann-Marie Campbell, a vice president at the chain, quietly announced the move while speaking to analysts during its recent earnings update, where Home Depot reported a sales decline this year.

Home Depot has not publicly announced the move or even put up signs in its stores to warn customers.

Computer vision technology was originally developed by Home Depot to help employees keep track of inventory.

Campbell said it had been such a success that they were now looking at other uses for it

“What’s really exciting is how we are now also using computer vision for other applications in the store,” she said sadly about the May 14 phone call.

One of these was that the system would alert staff if the shelves were untidy or if stock looked damaged. The other focused on theft, what retailers call “shrinkage.”

“We have also deployed this technology in our self-checkout corral to help us reduce shrinkage.

“Computer vision can identify complex or high-value carts and signal a cashier to assist the customer with their shopping cart to ensure all products are scanned and accounted for.”

Home Depot’s new move reflects one similar used by Taraget very similar sounding technology.

Goal The new system, called TruScan, also uses cameras and sensors to detect items that shoppers cannot scan and will notify them with audio and visual cues.

Target started rolling out the cameras several months ago and will equip all U.S. stores with them by the end of the year.

Like Home Depot, Target provided only limited details about the move to customers — instead also preferring to keep investors informed.

Major U.S. retailers are reconsidering or even eliminating self-checkouts.

DailyMail.com reported in late April how Walmart completely removed them from two more stores.

Self-checkout machines are particularly vulnerable to theft because shoplifters cannot scan items or scan cheaper items

Target is deploying new scanners to combat theft at its self-checkout counters, which will be rolled out across all stores by the end of the year

Some of the largest retailers have taken steps this year to reverse the failed self-checkout experiment. The machines were designed to reduce labor costs, but caused increased theft

The measure is related to the increasing number of thefts at the kiosks, rather than a measure to improve customer service.

In March, Dollar General announced it would completely remove self-checkout stands from 300 of its stores with the highest levels of shoplifting and improperly scanned items.

At 9,000 other locations, the company says it is converting some of its self-checkout registers to regular registers, and limiting self-checkout purchases to five items or fewer in another 4,500 stores.

Kroger also added traditional checkout lanes to a Texas store where it previously only offered self-checkout machines, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Meanwhile, Costco started placing additional staff in self-checkout areas to monitor shoppers and ensure all items are scanned correctly, and to ensure membership cards are not shared.