Holiday Shoppers Turn to AI for $75 Billion in Expected Cyber Week Spending

A growing number of holiday shoppers are turning to artificial intelligence to find gifts, compare prices, and check reviews before visiting online stores. Research from Salesforce projects that AI will drive $75.8 billion in spending during Cyber Week, marking a 13 percent increase from the previous year. Traffic coming to ecommerce sites from AI tools has doubled over the same period.

Personal Agents as Shopping Advisors

Consumers are increasingly adopting personal AI tools to help with gift ideas and product research. Nearly a third of consumers have tried a personal AI assistant, using them to compare technical specifications, read reviews, and find new brands. However, most users still treat these tools as advisors rather than buyers. Only a small fraction of users allow agents to complete purchases, and many express concerns about data privacy and accidental charges.

Opportunities and Risks for Retailers

Retailers that use automated agents to help customers on their sites are seeing positive results. Shoppers who arrive through AI referrals are more likely to make a purchase, and those who interact with brand agents tend to buy more items per order. Despite these gains, customer trust remains fragile. Many shoppers will stop using an assistant after just a few errors, meaning brands must ensure their product data and pricing are accurate.