Target shoppers finally get an AI shopping assistant for the holidays (www.businessinsider.com)

Target has launched a beta version of its AI shopping assistant, Ask Target, just in time for the holiday season, marking a significant step for the retailer as it strives to enhance customer experience and compete with giants like Amazon and Walmart. Chief merchandising officer Cara Sylvester highlighted the excitement around conversational AI, noting that in-house data is leveraged for the chatbot to provide more effective customer service. Not only does Ask Target assist with holiday shopping queries, but it also addresses general inquiries related to Target’s products. This move comes after the appointment of former Lowe’s AI leader Chandhu Nair as Target’s first chief AI officer, reinforcing the retailer’s commitment to integrating AI technology effectively. Retail experts believe that AI chatbots trained on proprietary data yield superior customer interactions compared to generic models. As seen with Walmart’s Sparky chatbot—reported to increase basket sizes by 40% for users—Target hopes to achieve similar benefits. While it's early to assess the impact of Ask Target on shopping behavior, the initiative represents a growing trend in retail towards personalized service powered by advanced AI technologies.