Target announced Ask Target, an AI-powered shopping assistant, on October 21, 2026. It came in Target's holiday press release.

What Target says it does

Target says Ask Target is available in beta on Target.com and in the Target app. According to the company, it helps shoppers find gift ideas, narrow down their choices and shop with confidence.

The same release says more AI features and a digital holiday kids catalog are coming as other ways to find gifts. Target did not name those AI features.

What Target's merchandising chief told reporters

Cara Sylvester is Target's chief merchandising officer. She spoke to reporters at a holiday preview event in New York.

Modern Retail reports that Ask Target lets shoppers build wishlists for themselves and others, ask questions about products and ask for recommendations. Sylvester told Modern Retail the tool isn't just for the holidays. "It is anything you may be looking for ideas for," she said.

Sylvester told Business Insider that Ask Target can answer questions about Target, not only holiday ones. She also said Target employees tried it first, using it to learn about new products, especially in Target's new Beauty Studio.

"We have seen a lot of traction as we start to think about that conversational AI," Sylvester told Business Insider. She said the team pushed the tool out to take advantage of Target's biggest season of the year.

Business Insider notes that Amazon, Walmart and Lowe's have offered similar assistants for months. Sylvester told the outlet it is too early to say how Ask Target affects how much people put in their carts.

Source: Target