Target appoints first chief AI officer to lead AI initiatives

Target just created a brand new C-suite seat and filled it in one move. The retailer has appointed Chandhu Nair as its first-ever senior vice president and chief AI officer, effective August 24, 2026. Nair comes from Lowe’s, where he led data, AI, and innovation efforts as SVP. His new gig at Target puts him at the center of a broader leadership reshuffling designed to make artificial intelligence a core pillar of the company’s retail operations. A new CEO, a new AI playbook The hire didn’t happen in a vacuum. Michael Fiddelke took over as Target’s CEO on February 1, 2026, and the creation of a dedicated chief AI officer role signals where his priorities lie. Under Fiddelke, Target has been telegraphing a desire to weave AI more deeply into merchandising, customer engagement, and operational workflows. Nair will report into a technology organization led by Prat Vemana, the executive vice president and chief information and product officer, who has already been pushing AI and automation projects across Target’s tech stack. As part of the same leadership shuffle, Purvi Shah has been appointed senior vice president of user experience. Who is Chandhu Nair Nair brings more than 20 years...