Target shows off new tech it's developing
April 23, 2018
Target CEO Brian Cornell told a room full of Wall Street analysts that the company is testing retail applications for "just about every buzzword you can imagine."
He listed a few -- AI (artificial intelligence), CGI (computer-generated imagery), machine learning.
So what does that look like in action?
The retailer gave attendees of its annual investors meeting a peek at some of the things Target's tech teams have been tinkering with at a science fair-like set-up at its Minneapolis headquarters.
One group showcased a new system Target has put together that is still being tested aimed at helping to make the process of shipping online items more cost-effective. The application on a worker's handheld device figures out which box size is best for the various items in the order so the company doesn't waste money on shipping empty space in the box. It then also decides which delivery carrier is optimal to use, using the technology platform the company now has access to through its acquisition last year of firm Grand Junction.