Survey: Consumers to use AI tools for holiday product discovery, information
The holidays will soon be around the corner, and artificial intelligence-powered tools are expected to play a major role in the gift shopping process.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of consumers regularly or occasionally consult AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini for shopping ideas and gift recommendations, according to a new survey from marketing platform Optimove.
Product recommendation AI features have been used by more than half (55%) of respondents, followed by chatbots (41%), visual search (31%), personalized deals (26%) and size/fit recommendations (23%).
While consumers are expected to rely on AI tools for holiday shopping, trust surrounding privacy remains a barrier. Three-quarters of consumers trust AI-generated recommendations as much as or more than other sources. However, data privacy is cited by 37% of respondents as the leading factor that could increase willingness to use an AI personal shopping assistant.
[READ MORE: Survey: Consumers expect inflation to impact holiday spending plans]
The use of AI tools comes as consumers plan to spend more on gifts this year as inflation remains high. More than half (55%) expect to spend more than last year, while 30% plan to maintain the same budget.
“AI is no longer a future layer of holiday shopping. It is already part of how consumers discover products, compare options, and decide what to buy,” said Pini Yakuel, founder and CEO of Optimove. “But the real opportunity is not simply using AI more. It is using AI responsibly and relevantly. Consumers are ready to spend, but they expect recommendations that respect their needs, their trust, and their time.”
To get a jump on the best deals, 66% of consumers said they are willing to begin shopping between July and October, while 63% say they may wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday before beginning holiday purchases. Seventy-eight percent of respondents cite discounted prices as a reason to shop earlier, followed by the availability of desired items (67%) and shorter shipping times (40%).
Additional insights from the Optimove survey include the following:
- More than half (53%) of consumers plan to shop exclusively at stores they used last year, while 47% expect to explore new brands during the season.
- Amazon leads as consumers’ preferred retailer at 81%, followed by Walmart at 71% and Target at 58%.
- Quality was selected by 81% of consumers as a top factor in holiday purchase decisions, ahead of price at 70% and brand reputation at 46%. For trying a new brand, quality would persuade 85% of consumers, while price would influence 80%.
Optimove’s report is based on a survey of 648 U.S. consumers conducted in spring 2026. Respondents were aged 18 and up with household incomes of over $75,000.
