Imagine walking into a store where everything feels perfectly curated just for you—that’s the magic AI brought to shopping during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2024. In fact, from Nov 1st thru Dec 2nd holiday shopping topped $131.5 billion dollars which is a 9% growth over the same time last year and one of the reasons for that growth is the adoption of AI by consumers.
The numbers are mind-blowing: AI-powered chatbots saw a jaw-dropping 1800% increase on Black Friday and a 1,950% increase in traffic on Cyber Monday compared to the previous year. Shoppers are loving this tech-powered help, which contributed to a combined record-breaking $23.4 billion in online sales—a whopping 17.3% jump from 2023!
While aimless browsing, or doom-scrolling depending on your mood, is a staple of modern internet usage. However, when we get to the holiday season the mood gets more serious around finding that perfect gift, perfect deal, or both. To serve that need, AI-powered shopping assistants have become the ultimate shopping buddy. Mobile shopping exploded in 2024, with a stunning 57% of online sales—$7.6 billion—coming through mobile devices. AI has made mobile shopping smoother, faster, and more intuitive than ever before giving the modern holiday shopper what they want whenever the mood strikes them.
The winner of this consumer shift will be the brand that uses predictive AI to match the desires of the consumer, take Amazon’s new AI assistant, Rufus, for example. This digital companion helps shoppers find exactly what they’re looking for, answering questions and suggesting the perfect gifts with incredible precision. Or H&M, using AI to analyze everything from returns to loyalty card data, ensuring each store’s inventory matches local shoppers’ exact tastes. It’s like having a crystal ball that predicts exactly what customers want!
On the consumer side, shoppers are using AI to create curated shopping ideas for the holidays and leveraging the data to decrease the time spend searching and the time to check out. Which for those shoppers on the move is the frictionless transactions they have been looking for, and the technology has finally caught up to that desire.
The 2024 holiday shopping season so far has been a barometer of consumer confidence and one thing is crystal clear: AI has fundamentally transformation of how we shop. From personalized recommendations to lightning-fast mobile experiences, artificial intelligence has become the ultimate shopping companion, bridging the gap between consumer desires and retail innovation.
The numbers tell a compelling story. With $131.5 billion in holiday sales and a 9% growth over the previous year, AI-powered shopping is proving to be more than just hype. It’s a real, tangible revolution that benefits both consumers and retailers. Shoppers are saving time, finding better deals, and enjoying more personalized experiences, while brands are gaining unprecedented insights into consumer behavior.
The days of one-size-fits-all shopping are over. Welcome to the era of AI-powered, hyper-personalized retail—where every shopping interaction feels like it was designed just for you.
Looking ahead, the potential seems limitless. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more intuitive shopping experiences. Imagine assistants that not only understand what you want to buy but anticipate your needs before you even realize them. The line between technology and personalized service is blurring, creating a shopping landscape that’s more convenient, efficient, and enjoyable than ever before.
Ad Choices
