Target Group launches AI Champion programme to embed practical use of AI across teams

# What Target Group announced

# Why the programme exists

Target frames the initiative as a way to build confidence and capability among staff while ensuring innovations meet the operational and regulatory standards expected in financial services. The organisation has already run a number of proofs of concept — starting with virtual assistants and chatbots that supported HR enquiries — and progressed to operational solutions that interact with customers.

Those earlier projects include using AI and machine learning in the contact centre to summarise every customer interaction, monitor and score 100% of interactions, and provide live guidance to agents. By embedding new capabilities internally first, Target expects to test solutions in real-world conditions before offering them to clients.

# How the AI Champions will work

• Explore opportunities to integrate AI into daily processes and test tools, prompts and workflows.
• Collect and share colleague feedback and practical learnings across teams.
• Encourage responsible adoption and support peers to use AI in straightforward, controlled ways.

The stated aims are to save time, improve quality, simplify routine tasks, and raise colleagues' confidence in using the technology.

# Leadership view and operational emphasis

Emma-Jane Williams, learning and development partner at Target, said the programme focuses on people as well as technology: "Successful AI adoption isn't just about technology. It's about giving people the confidence, skills and support to use it effectively in their everyday work." Williams described the first engagement session as producing ideas and curiosity and thanked colleagues for volunteering as champions.

Melanie Spencer, growth director, framed the programme as consistent with Target's AI philosophy of enhancing the human element of service. She noted that in regulated sectors such as financial services, adoption depends on strong governance, operational expertise and clear understanding of regulatory expectations. Spencer argued that combining those foundations with technology and partners lets organisations innovate while maintaining high standards for customers and regulators.

# Connection to prior work and scale

Target is part of a wider group with an established record of tech development. Through its fintech platform, the company manages more than 31 billion in assets and specialises in mortgage and loan originations, payments, collections and in-life servicing, working with major financial institutions as both a business process servicer and provider of proprietary software.

# What comes next

The AI Champion programme will evolve through the year to identify additional opportunities to improve colleague experience and operational efficiency, and to guide how Target applies AI in solutions for clients. The company plans to use the programme to continue testing and embedding AI capabilities internally before scaling them for customers.