Target introduced a suite of AI-powered shopping features aimed at enhancing discovery and personalization (Retail Dive - Technology). In June, the company released Review Insights, which uses AI to summarize details mentioned in product reviews to guide purchasing decisions. In August, Target debuted an AI-supported Photo Search feature in its mobile app, allowing consumers to search for products using an uploaded or captured image (Retail Dive - Technology).
Target's Review Insights feature has led to an uptick in conversions and products added to carts (Retail Dive - Technology). These AI capabilities complement the retailer's existing Buy Again function, which surfaces frequently purchased items and relevant deals, and the Continue Shopping function, which connects customers with recently viewed products. For commerce practitioners, Target's multi-modal approach—combining visual search, review summarization, and purchase history—demonstrates how AI can lower decision friction across the entire customer journey while driving measurable uplift in conversion metrics.
Target's AI push follows strong financial performance, with the retailer reporting a 5.3% year-over-year increase in net sales to $26.5 billion and comparable sales growth of 3.8% in its second quarter (Retail Dive - Technology). The company has been deploying AI features across multiple areas, including its Bullseye Gift Finder and Target Trend Brain, signaling a sustained investment in AI-driven personalization as a competitive differentiator.