Rudy Lai
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AI @ Target

Large national chain with broad offerings
Industry
Last updated
July 3, 2025 at 10:44 AM

Summary

  • Target has progressively integrated AI from inventory management and personalized shopping experiences in Q4 2023, advancing to generative AI tools like the 'Store Companion' chatbot for employees by Q2 2024, facilitating improved operational efficiency and customer experience.
  • In 2024, leadership figures like CIO Brett Craig have championed AI adoption, enabling innovations such as streamlined checkouts, digital grocery sales personalization, and AI-powered gift finders, with AI tools now fully rolled out chainwide by Q3 2024, boosting worker efficiency and engagement.
  • Entering 2025, Target expands AI applications to encompass social media curated digital experiences, advanced ad placement optimization in its Roundel retail media network, and ongoing efforts to enhance holiday shopping, marking a sustained commitment to AI-driven retail transformation.

VIBE METER

More AI announcements = more VIBE
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5 AI Use Cases at Target

Digital Marketing
2025
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
Target applies AI to optimize ad placements across platforms such as Google, Meta, and Pinterest in its Roundel retail media network, enhancing targeting efficiency and ROI. [1]
Social Media Curation
2025
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
Target integrates generative AI with social media trends to curate digital shopping experiences, helping customers discover products more effectively and enhancing online engagement. [1]
Personalization
2024
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
Target leverages AI, including generative AI, to provide personalized shopping recommendations across digital groceries and gift finding tools like Bullseye Gift Finder, improving conversion rates and customer satisfaction. [1][2]
Employee Assistance
2024
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Target introduced the 'Store Companion' generative AI chatbot to assist store employees by answering job-related queries, training new hires, and providing real-time problem solving via handheld devices. [1][2][3]
Demand Forecasting
2023
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
Target employs AI tools to forecast guest demand for products during peak seasons, optimizing inventory distribution between stores and online channels to ensure product availability. [1][2]

Timeline

2025 Q3

2 updates

Target introduces advanced AI enhancements including AI for ad placement optimization in its Roundel retail media network, expansions in AI for ecommerce and worker tools, and continued AI-driven retail innovations.

2025 Q2

1 updates

Despite some AI experiments described as 'disastrous,' Target recommits to expanding AI to enhance holiday shopping experiences.

2025 Q1

1 updates

Target leverages generative AI combined with social media insights to curate digital shopping experiences and augment product discovery.

2024 Q4

3 updates

Expansion of AI to digital grocery personalization and new generative AI-powered shopping tools like the Bullseye Gift Finder, enhancing personalized customer engagement and conversion rates.

2024 Q3

3 updates

Full deployment of generative AI tools in stores completed; Target CFO highlights increased worker efficiency; continued AI-driven innovations in employee enablement and customer experience with leadership from CIO Brett Craig.

2024 Q2

5 updates

Target announced the upcoming launch of the generative AI 'Store Companion' chatbot for store employees, aimed at enhancing training and real-time problem solving, signaling a major internal AI deployment.

2024 Q1

1 updates

Limited public AI developments, with academic attention on AI's broader application in target identification research.

2023 Q4

4 updates

Target introduced AI-driven demand forecasting for holiday supply, improving inventory accuracy and personalization to enhance guest experience both in-store and online.