Thumbtack Replaces Search With AI-Guided Problem Diagnosis for Homeowners
Thumbtack announced an AI-powered experience that walks homeowners through describing home problems and finding local service professionals, replacing traditional category-based search. The company is testing the new interface nationwide with a planned rollout to all users in 2026.
The shift addresses a real friction point. More than half of homeowners misdiagnose their home issues, and nearly 85% struggle to identify the right expert for the job, according to Thumbtack's survey data.
How the new experience works
Homeowners start by describing what's wrong-through text, photos, or voice-rather than navigating category menus. The AI interprets the problem, asks clarifying questions about urgency and location, and generates a scoped project description.
Thumbtack then matches users with local professionals from its network of 300,000 service businesses. The platform explains why each pro is suited to the job, citing expertise, ratings, and availability.
A project hub centralizes communication and tracks details in one place.
Early results show confidence gains
In testing, 87% of customers found it valuable to explain issues through photos or voice. Users of the new experience reported greater confidence moving forward with projects compared to those using traditional search.
The redesign reflects how home projects actually begin, according to Waqas Sheikh, senior director of product at Thumbtack. "Home projects don't always start as perfect plans-they often start as questions, problems, or ideas."
Thumbtack serves millions of homeowners and counts more than 15 million completed five-star projects on its platform.
Learn more about AI applications in real estate and construction.
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