Key Highlights
- Target is launching a conversational shopping app inside ChatGPT that allows users to plan, browse, and buy without leaving the chat.
- Users can build multi-item baskets, shop for fresh food, and choose fulfillment via Drive Up, Order Pickup, or shipping.
- Internally, Target is already using ChatGPT Enterprise across 18,000 employees to boost productivity, streamline operations, and improve guest experiences.
Target Corporation is taking a bold step into the world of conversational commerce. Starting next week in beta, the retail giant is launching a Target app embedded directly within ChatGPT. This app lets shoppers browse, build baskets, and check out through natural chat.
Using this new integration, users will be able to ask ChatGPT for shopping ideas, like planning a cozy holiday movie night. In response, the AI will share curated suggestions drawn from Target’s full assortment, from snacks and blankets to decor.
Shoppers can then add items to a multi-item basket and choose whether they want their order picked up in-store, driven up, or shipped directly to their door.
This isn’t just a gimmick, according to Target’s leadership. “Everything starts with the guest,” said Prat Vemana, Executive Vice President and Chief Information & Product Officer at Target. He explained that adding Target to ChatGPT gives customers a “joyful” way to shop that feels as natural and helpful as talking to a friend.
AI Beyond the Shopping Cart
The ChatGPT shopping app is part of a deeper collaboration between Target and OpenAI. Behind the scenes, Target is heavily integrating ChatGPT Enterprise into its operations, with 18,000 employees already on board.
The AI system is being used for supply chain forecasting, streamlining in-store processes, and developing smarter tools for both customers and vendors.
Some of the internal tools powered by OpenAI include:
- Agent Assist and Store Companion, which give store staff instant access to pricing, return info, and other customer-service data.
- Shopping Assistant and Gift Finder, which help customers with tailored product recommendations based on their needs or the recipient’s.
- JOY, a chatbot trained on more than 3,000 vendor and customer FAQs, streamlines support and reduces manual workload.
What This Means for Retail
Target’s move into AI-driven chat shopping is part of a broader trend. Retailers are increasingly betting on agentic commerce, where artificial intelligence doesn’t just assist, it actively helps you discover, decide, and buy.
By putting its full product catalog inside ChatGPT, Target isn’t just experimenting; it’s reimagining how customers interact with retail.
For shoppers, this means convenience and personalization. For Target, it could drive deeper engagement and efficiency, and potentially reshape holiday shopping for good.