Target names its first chief AI officer in a bid to remake the shopping experience (exclusive)

Target has appointed Chandhu Nair as its first chief AI officer as the retailer doubles down on the technology and its potential benefits for customers.

Nair comes to Target after more than six years with Lowe’s, where he was most recently senior vice president of stores, data, AI, and innovation. He previously served nine years at Staples, and cofounded a data analytics software company and a business strategy consulting startup.

“What excites me most is the opportunity to make AI real for the people who experience Target every day,” Chanhu said in a Q&A provided by the company. “The most meaningful AI stories won’t be about what happens in a lab. They’ll be about what happens on the front line—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.”

Target is also promoting Purvi Shah, the current vice president of user experience design, to a senior VP role. The retailer is hoping the speed of AI, when paired with human-centered design, will elevate the shopping experience for customers.

The company’s AI efforts will impact both employee- and customer-facing systems. Shah has spent the past four years working on Target’s user experience systems, including assisting in the launch of a conversational shopping experience in ChatGPT eight months ago.

“Our role is to shape not only what people see, but the systems and decisions behind it to ensure each experience is as easy, inspiring, and valuable as it can be,” Shah said in the Q&A.

A fast-growing title

Target is one of many companies that are appointing a CAIO these days. Meta, Google, and IBM have all created the role, a logical step given the importance of AI to tech firms. But companies in other industries have also appointed a chief AI officer, including Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Accenture, and PwC.