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Target to Roll Out Transformative GenAI Technology to its Store Team Members Chainwide

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2 years ago

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Retailer’s new GenAI-powered chatbot, Store Companion, is designed to make team members’ jobs easier and enhance the shopping experience The tool is scheduled to roll out to hundreds of thousands of team members across Target’s nearly 2,000 stores by August   Target will continue to test and develop new GenAI applications that accelerate its business, empower its team and support its future growth   

MINNEAPOLIS, June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) today announced plans to roll out a new generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool to team members at all of its nearly 2,000 stores by August, becoming the first major retailer to share that it is bringing this technology to its store team members across the U.S. The tool, called Store Companion, is a GenAI-powered chatbot designed by Target that can answer on-the-job process questions, coach new team members, support store operations management and more.

Store Companion’s goal is to make the teams’ jobs easier and allow them to work more quickly and efficiently, offering faster service and deeper guest engagement to make the shopping experience even better. The initiative is part of Target’s broader strategic approach to using GenAI across its business to empower its team, enhance the guest experience and support the company’s long-term growth.

“We know technology will continue to play an outsized role in the future of retail — for our team members, our guests and our business. With that in mind, we’re continually experimenting with new tools to make it even easier for our team to do their jobs and to bring more of what guests love about shopping at Target to life,” said Brett Craig, executive vice president and chief information officer, Target. “The transformative nature of GenAI is helping us accelerate the rate of innovation across our operations, and we’re excited about the role these new tools and applications will play in driving growth.”

How the Store Companion tool works

The Store Companion chatbot will be available as an app on store team members’ specially equipped handheld devices, providing immediate answers to their questions about processes and procedures. For example, team members can input prompts like “How do I sign a guest up for a Target Circle Card?” and “How do I restart the cash register in the event of a power outage?” and receive instructions and resources in seconds. The tool also serves as a store process expert and coach, helping new and seasonal team members learn on the job.

Testing, learning and improving the tool

“Generative AI is game-changing technology and Store Companion will make daily tasks easier and enable our team to respond to guests’ requests with confidence and efficiency,” said Mark Schindele, executive vice president and chief stores officer, Target. “The tool frees up time and attention for our team to serve guests with care and to create a shopping destination that invites discovery, ease and moments of everyday joy.”

To develop this best-in-class resource for its store team members, Target’s in-house technology team used real frequently asked questions and process documents from its store teams across the U.S. The team worked quickly, taking the project from its initial testing phase to planned rollout in just six months. Target is currently piloting the tool at about 400 stores, using the teams’ feedback to improve the experience ahead of the chainwide rollout.

Early feedback from pilot teams indicates that Store Companion is positively impacting their daily work.

“We’re hearing great feedback from our team about the new app,” said Jake Seaquist, store director at one of the pilot stores in Champlin, Minn. “Streamlining day-to-day tasks goes a long way with our team members and adds up to more time spent with guests and a better guest experience across the store.”

Since the pilot began, experienced team members have been sharing their expertise and adding materials to help shape the tool.

The power of AI across Target’s business

Store Companion is the latest example of how Target is accelerating its use of GenAI to create even more personalized and intuitive experiences for team members and consumers. In addition to Store Companion, the retailer plans to roll out another internal GenAI tool in the coming months, starting with its headquarters team members. When placed in the hands of Target’s most important asset, its team, this technology has the potential to transform day-to-day tasks and empower team members to be more efficient and spend time doing the most meaningful work.  

Target also is using GenAI to elevate its digital experience for consumers, including GenAI-powered product pages and search capabilities that curate the most relevant results and make it even easier for consumers to find everything they need when shopping on Target.com. For example:

Enhancements to thousands of product display pages on Target.com this year have created more relevant, guest-friendly experiences. Target is using GenAI to summarize reviews and make the product descriptions on its site pages even more relevant to help shoppers make confident purchase decisions. It also enhances the items’ product titles with more robust information to help shoppers search and find the right items faster. More than 100,000 of these pages are expected to be complete by the end of the summer.

Guided Search has begun rolling out on Target.com, which allows guests to search the site using conversational language and discover even more of the assortment through intelligent, curated results. For example, a search for “summer party” will return a broader range of relevant items, from party supplies and invitations to outdoor tableware, meat for grilling, a variety of snack and drink ideas and more. It also will help shoppers remember commonly forgotten items such as sun protection, insect repellents, outdoor games and other essentials. This enhanced search experience will continue to expand and will be available to all consumers later this summer.

In addition to these enhancements, Target will continue testing dozens of additional GenAI applications throughout 2024 and beyond. The retailer remains committed to the safe and responsible use of the technology and is focused on building a GenAI ecosystem that will continue to drive its business and enhance the team member and guest experiences while embracing the future of retail.

Miscellaneous

Statements in this release regarding the company’s future financial and operational performance and enhancements to its technologies and capabilities are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause the company’s results to differ materially. The most important risks and uncertainties are described in Item 1A of the company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

About Target

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at nearly 2,000 stores and at Target.com, with the purpose of helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. Since 1946, Target has given 5% of its profit to communities, which today equals millions of dollars a week. Additional company information can be found by visiting the corporate website and press center.

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SOURCE Target Corporation

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BCE reports results of Series AI and AJ preferred share conversions

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14 minutes ago

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July 23, 2026

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MONTRÉAL, July 22, 2026 /CNW/ — BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) today announced that all of its floating-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series AJ (“Series AJ Preferred Shares”) will be converted on August 4, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into fixed-rate Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares, Series AI (“Series AI Preferred Shares”).

On June 16, 2026, notice was provided that holders of Series AI Preferred Shares could elect to convert their shares into Series AJ Preferred Shares and that holders of Series AJ Preferred Shares could elect to convert their shares into Series AI Preferred Shares, subject to the terms and conditions attached to those shares. A total of 1,875 of BCE’s 8,584,140 Series AI Preferred Shares were tendered for conversion on August 4, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into Series AJ Preferred Shares. In addition, a total of 1,976,448 of BCE’s 3,514,957 Series AJ Preferred Shares were tendered for conversion on August 4, 2026, on a one-for-one basis, into Series AI Preferred Shares. As this would result in there being less than 2,000,000 Series AJ Preferred Shares outstanding, all remaining Series AJ Preferred Shares not tendered for conversion will, as per the terms and conditions attached to those shares, be automatically converted into Series AI Preferred Shares on August 4, 2026.

Registered shareholders who had elected to convert their Series AI Preferred Shares will have the share certificates representing the number of Series AI Preferred Shares tendered for conversion returned to them by TSX Trust Company.

The Series AI Preferred Shares will pay on a quarterly basis, for the five-year period beginning on August 4, 2026, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of BCE, a fixed cash dividend based on an annual fixed dividend rate of 5.10%. The Series AI Preferred Shares will continue to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BCE.PR.I.

About BCE
BCE is Canada’s largest communications company1, leading the way in advanced fibre and wireless networks, enterprise services and digital media. By delivering next-generation technology that leverages cloud-based and AI-driven solutions, we’re keeping customers connected, informed and entertained while enabling businesses to compete on the world stage. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

1 Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.

Media inquiries:
Ellen Murphy
media@bell.ca

Investor inquiries:
Krishna Somers
krishna.somers@bell.ca

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SOURCE BCE Inc.

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SpringBrand Launches AI Co-Founder, Giving Sellers a Dedicated AI Agent for Pre-Sale Work

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14 minutes ago

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July 23, 2026

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Sellers bring the expertise; AI helps package the service, guide pricing, and handle initial buyer conversations.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SpringBrand, an AI-agent-powered services marketplace, today announced the launch of AI Co-Founder, a seller-side AI agent designed to help people turn their professional skills into structured, fixed-price services. The agent assists with service packaging, pricing guidance, listing creation, buyer intake, scope clarification, and initial qualification, allowing sellers to focus on delivering their expertise.

The launch addresses a friction point familiar to a growing share of the workforce. According to a Bankrate survey, roughly one in four American adults report having a side hustle — but for many more who have considered starting one, the barrier isn’t a lack of skill. It’s the work before the work: packaging an offer, setting a price, writing a listing, and fielding inquiries from buyers who aren’t yet sure what they need.

AI Co-Founder starts by interviewing the seller to surface marketable skills and shapes them into a structured, fixed-price offer ready for the marketplace. Once published, a dedicated AI agent represents the seller to prospective buyers — fielding initial inquiries, clarifying scope, and qualifying fit before the seller is ever involved. On the buyer side, the same agent-driven model applies: buyers describe the outcome they need in plain language, and SpringBrand’s agents match the request against available services and coordinate communication through to delivery. Users approve each step.

“Many people already have knowledge or experience worth selling, but turning that expertise into a clear offer can feel like starting an entirely new business,” said Luhao Zhao, Business Development Manager at SpringBrand. “AI Co-Founder helps handle the operational work around packaging, pricing, and early buyer communication, while the seller retains the judgment, expertise, and responsibility for delivery. We believe services are moving from static listings toward agent-assisted discovery and coordination on both sides of the marketplace.”

The platform can support a wide range of skills and service formats. A home baker could turn a popular recipe into a digital guide or virtual baking class. An office professional known for improving presentations could offer a fixed-price deck review or pitch-deck polish. A student familiar with relocating to a new city could package that experience into a rental preparation checklist or a one-on-one orientation call. In each case, AI Co-Founder helps structure the offer and prepare the listing without requiring the seller to start from a blank page.

SpringBrand is open to sellers now at springbrand.ai. Listing is free on the platform’s base tier, which includes AI-assisted service creation and basic traffic data. During the launch period, SpringBrand is waiving all selling fees and offering its Pro membership — which adds priority ranking in buyer opportunities, advanced analytics, and up to 30 qualified buyer requests per day — at no cost.

About SpringBrand

SpringBrand is an AI-agent-powered services marketplace that helps people package, discover, and purchase clearly defined professional services. Buyers describe the outcomes they need in plain language, while AI agents assist with service matching, scope clarification, and communication between buyers and sellers. SpringBrand was founded in 2026 and is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit springbrand.ai.

Media Contact

Luhao Zhao
BD Manager
SpringBrand AI
support@springbrand.ai

Press Contact:
Luhao Zhao
2542492894
https://springbrand.ai/

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SOURCE SpringBrand

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NSW Community Services Workers Now Accessing Long Service Leave Across Multiple Employers on Appian

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14 minutes ago

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July 23, 2026

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New digital portal already supporting 180,000+ workers with more than $57 million in levy payments processed

SYDNEY, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Long Service Corporation (LSC), a New South Wales Government statutory body, has launched a new digital application built on the Appian Platform to help community services workers across the State more easily access long service leave entitlements across multiple employers.

Delivered in partnership with Deloitte, the solution is designed to support workers employed across a broad range of services which look after the wellbeing of individuals and communities across NSW, such as housing and homelessness support, mental health services, and family and domestic violence support. Work in the sector often involves short-term employment contracts, multiple employers, and career breaks, making it difficult to maintain the continuous service traditionally required for long service leave. The new application helps approximately 250,000 workers and their 2,400 employers more easily track and manage their accrued service, ensuring they can access the entitlements they have earned over time.

Since the launch of the Appian-powered Community Services Industry portal in April 2026, more than 5,800 service returns have been submitted by nearly 2,000 employers, representing an approximate 80% completion rate. In the same period, more than 180,000 workers have been nominated into the scheme, enabling them to begin accruing portable long service leave.

LSC has already received over $57 million in levy payments, with total collections projected to exceed $100 million by 1 September 2026, highlighting the scale and momentum of the scheme. These results demonstrate the platform’s rapid impact in streamlining participation and delivering value to employers and workers. Lauren Nagel, Executive Director, LSC, said the application was designed to improve accessibility and reduce administrative complexity for both workers and employers.

“Workers and employers now have dedicated self-service portals and Long Service Corporation can also manage the scheme more efficiently and at scale,” said Nagel. “Using the application, workers and employers can securely interact with LSC through their MyServiceNSW accounts, complete identity verification, receive digital notifications, and manage service return payments online.”

The end-to-end application incorporates multiple NSW Government shared services to provide a streamlined and consistent customer experience. It also enables LSC to reduce manual administration through improved worker matching, guided self-service functionality and greater visibility across employer-worker relationships.

Kal Marshall, Area Vice President for Australia and New Zealand at Appian, said LSC has demonstrated how government agencies can modernise essential community services while improving access for workers.

“Long Service Corporation’s use case highlights how technology can help simplify highly complex administrative processes while improving outcomes for the people who rely on them most,” said Marshall. “For many community services workers, long service leave is a meaningful benefit that can be difficult to access under traditional employment models. By building a streamlined and scalable digital experience, Long Service Corporation is helping ensure workers can more easily receive the entitlements they have earned.”

Deloitte worked closely with LSC to align legislative requirements, operational processes and technical delivery throughout the project.

LSC also uses Appian Process HQ to monitor adoption, compliance and operational performance across the scheme, with future phases expected to include additional case management functionality.

Adam Karasiewicz, Partner, Deloitte, said the project combined legislative expertise with rapid technology delivery to support the rollout of the new scheme within tight timeframes.

“Portable long service leave schemes are highly specialised and require strong alignment between legislation, policy and operational delivery,” said Karasiewicz. “By combining Deloitte’s workplace integrity and policy expertise with Appian’s platform capabilities, we were able to help LSC deliver a secure, accessible and scalable solution quickly.”

About Appian

Appian provides AI automation for mission-critical work. We automate complex processes in large enterprises and governments. Our platform is known for its unique reliability and scale. We’ve been automating processes for more than 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN]  

Follow Appian: LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

About Deloitte

Deloitte is a leading global provider of audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services. Our global network of member firms and related entities in more than 150 countries and territories (collectively, the “Deloitte organisation”) serves four out of five Fortune Global 500® companies. Learn how Deloitte’s approximately 400,000 people make an impact that matters at www.deloitte.com.

About Long Service Corporation

Long Service Corporation is a NSW Government statutory authority responsible for administering portable long service leave schemes across the building and construction, contract cleaning and community services sectors. www.nsw.gov.au/longservice corporation

 

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/nsw-community-services-workers-now-accessing-long-service-leave-across-multiple-employers-on-appian-302832545.html

SOURCE Appian

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