Key Highlights

  • Target named Chandhu Nair as its first-ever chief AI officer and senior vice president, alongside Purvi Shah's promotion to senior vice president of user experience
  • Nair joins from Lowe's, where he oversaw stores, data, AI, and innovation, and previously held roles at Staples and Gap
  • The appointment builds on Target's existing AI investments, including its Target Trend Brain forecasting tool and a conversational AI shopping assistant
  • Rivals including Walmart, Gap, and Best Buy have also expanded AI partnerships and tools across their retail operations

Target Names First Chief AI Officer as Part of Broader Leadership Shift

Target (NYSE:TGT) announced Tuesday that it has appointed Chandhu Nair as its first-ever chief artificial intelligence officer and senior vice president, marking the retailer's latest move to Capitalize on the AI boom. The company also named Purvi Shah as senior vice president of user experience.

Nair joins from home improvement retailer Lowe's (NYSE:LOW), where he served as senior vice president of stores, data, AI, and innovation. He has also held leadership roles at Staples and Gap (NYSE:GAP). In a statement, Nair said his focus would be on building a more coordinated approach to AI across Target's operations, including improving inventory management and enabling faster Business decisions.

New Leadership Builds on Existing AI Investments

Target has been expanding its use of generative AI as part of a broader effort to win back shoppers and investors. The company has developed Target Trend Brain, an internal tool designed to help identify emerging styles, colors, and materials ahead of demand. Last holiday season, Target also introduced a conversational AI feature to help customers find gifts more easily.

Nair said the most meaningful applications of AI would come not from research labs but from front-line improvements, including tools that make shopping easier for customers and give employees better resources to do their jobs.

Retailers Continue Racing to Adopt AI Across Operations

Target's appointment comes as major retailers accelerate efforts to integrate AI into their businesses. Walmart (NYSE:WMT) has been rolling out AI tools and agents across its stores and Supply chain to improve both customer experience and internal efficiency. Gap has partnered with Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Gemini, while Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) has established collaborations with OpenAI and Google.

Retail executives have increasingly pointed to AI as a driver of leadership change. Walmart's former chief executive said in December that he stepped down in part to hand the role to someone better positioned to capitalize on how AI could accelerate the business, a transition that saw a successor take over the position in February.