A Target logo is displayed on a sign outside of a department store on March 23, 2026 in San Diego, CA. Kevin Carter | Getty Images News | Getty Images Target announced it has named its first chief artificial intelligence officer on Tuesday in the retailer’s latest bid to capitalize on the AI boom. The company appointed Chandhu Nair as its chief AI officer and senior vice president and also announced Purvi Shah as the company’s senior vice president of user experience. “The most meaningful AI stories won’t be about what happens in a lab,” Nair said in a statement. “They’ll be about what’s happening on the front lines: how we make shopping easier for a guest, give a team member a better tool, make a business decision with more confidence, or bring a new idea to market faster.” Nair previously worked at home improvement retailer Lowe’s as the company’s senior vice president of stores, data, artificial intelligence and innovation. He also held positions at Staples and Gap. In his statement, Nair said he is focusing on a “more coordinated approach” to AI for Target, including improving how the retailer manages inventory or enabling faster decisions. In its bid to win back shoppers and investors, the company has been investing in generative AI, including a tool called Target Trend Brain, which helps the retailer get ahead of trends and identify the styles, colors and materials customers will look for. And last holiday season, Target launched a new conversational AI program to help customers find the right gift for the people on their shopping lists. Tuesday’s announcement comes as many major retailers have rushed to keep up with the rise of AI and integrate it into their business strategies. Target rival Walmart has been deploying AI tools and agents across its stores and supply chains to improve the customer experience and make its employees’ internal processes more efficient. Gap announced a partnership with Google’s Gemini earlier this year, and Best Buy has collaborations with OpenAI and Google. Retail executives have been evaluating the transition to AI and how it will evolve in the coming years. Former Walmart CEO Douglas McMillon told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” in December that he decided to hand the reins of the global retailer to someone “faster” who could take advantage of the ways AI could speed up the business. John Furner replaced McMillon in February. “About a year ago, I really started to feel like in the next race you could see what agent commerce would be like, the vision for AI purchasing, and I started thinking about everything that needs to happen in the next few years, and it really made me think that now was the right time. [to step down]”McMillon said at the time. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
