Target rolls out AI chatbot Ask Target for holiday shoppers

Target debuted a beta version of its AI-driven chatbot, Ask Target, timed for the holiday rush, bringing the chain closer to competitors like Amazon, Walmart and Lowe's that have long provided similar services. Cara Sylvester, the company's chief merchandising officer, explained that the assistant can respond to holiday gift ideas as well as everyday store inquiries. An internal trial saw staff using the tool to familiarize themselves with new product lines, notably in the recently added Beauty Studio department.

The initiative comes two months after Target appointed Chandhu Nair, formerly Lowe's AI leader, as its inaugural chief AI officer. At Lowe's, Nair oversaw the Mylow chatbot, credited with notable gains in customer service. Retailers argue that in-house AI agents, trained on proprietary data, outperform generic models like ChatGPT or Gemini, and can also integrate with personal AI assistants such as Meta's Muse.