Target to bring shopping to ChatGPT in OpenAI partnership
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Target will let shoppers browse and buy products directly in ChatGPT, becoming one of the first major retailers to turn the AI chatbot into a shopping platform, the company said Wednesday.
Why it matters: The launch marks another step in the rise of "agentic commerce," where AI anticipates what shoppers need — and checks out on their behalf.
- The debut comes during Thanksgiving and Black Friday week — one of the year's biggest shopping periods — giving Target a chance to showcase how AI could streamline gift buying and holiday planning.
Driving the news: The Target app in ChatGPT, launching in beta next week, lets users build baskets, buy multiple items in one transaction and choose pickup, drive-up or shipping.
- They can shop fresh food and receive curated product suggestions and personalized recommendations.
- Target's news comes a month after Walmart unveiled its own OpenAI partnership, underscoring how quickly big-box rivals are moving to embed AI into everyday shopping.
What they're saying: Fiddelke said on a media call with reporters that the partnership with OpenAI will help Target stay ahead of how customers want to shop.
- "We need to be at the forefront of how the consumer is going to shop — and that means we get to the forefront of technology," he said.
Between the lines: Target already uses AI to forecast demand, help employees, streamline supply chains and power product design.
