Observed Signal · Aug 4, 2026 · Survey · Source: Retail Dive · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Two‑thirds of Holiday Shoppers Use AI
A survey by marketing firm Attentive of 600 U.S. consumers found that 67% of shoppers used AI tools in the past three months to help manage purchases this holiday season, with usage rising to 80% among Gen Z. The report also found that 71% plan to start holiday shopping before Black Friday and 84% expect Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals to begin ahead of the day. Shoppers use AI to ask about products, compare options, get recommendations and find deals. Respondents prioritized incentives such as free shipping, gifts with purchase, price-match guarantees and loyalty perks when making buying decisions.
Survey shows substantial consumer adoption of AI tools for shopping and decisioning, which is relevant to retailers, MarTech and retail media strategies ahead of the holiday season.
Track Attentive Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your Polaris7 workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Attentive surveyed 600 U.S. consumers and found 71% plan to start holiday shopping before Black Friday (46% plan to shop prior to November).
- 84% of consumers expect Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to start before Black Friday, mostly in November, according to the report.
- 67% of shoppers used AI tools in the last three months to manage purchases; 80% of Gen Z reported AI usage in that period.
- Survey breakdown: 58% ask AI about a particular product, 51% use AI to compare products/brands/features, 45% use AI for product recommendations and 43% to find deals/coupons/best price.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“Consumers are looking to AI this holiday season to sift through products and search for bargains, according to Attentive.”
“This website is owned and operated by Informa TechTarget, a global network that informs, influences and connects the world’s technology buye...”
“During Black Friday, retailers offered 28% online discounts on average in the U.S., flat between 2024 and 2025, according to a Salesforce an...”
“A person shopping online. Eighty percent of Gen Z consumers have used AI in the last three months for their purchases. Getty Images”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Black Friday: AI Helps Hunt for Deals
A new study by Yougov reveals that artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in consumer shopping behavior during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other pre-Christmas sales events. The study highlights how consumers intend to use AI tools to identify genuine deals, verify discounts, and compare prices across retailers. Key questions consumers ask AI include whether a discount is real and what the product costs elsewhere. The findings suggest that AI is becoming a critical tool for deal-hunting, potentially reshaping how consumers approach seasonal sales and how retailers must optimize their marketing strategies to be visible in AI-driven search results.
Holiday Shoppers Use AI for Deals, Keep Autonomy
A Gartner survey reveals that one-third of consumers are willing to use generative AI for holiday gift recommendations, but only 13% currently do so for inspiration. Shoppers use AI for price comparisons and narrowing down choices, yet they resist letting AI finalize purchases, valuing personal autonomy in gifting. William Blair data shows 88% used an AI tool in the past six months, with 80% using it at least occasionally pre-purchase. Trust concerns, especially regarding data security, hinder broader adoption of agentic commerce. Big retailers like Walmart are investing in agentic AI, but widespread finalization by AI remains distant. The FTC has also ordered Walmart and Target to provide info on personalized pricing.
Four holiday reports reveal split on AI adoption
Four vendor reports (Basis, Salesforce, Attentive, Alchemer) agree that holiday shoppers are starting earlier, spending more deliberately, and expecting more relevant experiences. They diverge sharply on AI: Attentive reports high usage (around 70%) across the shopping journey, Basis finds only 17% expect to use AI while shopping, Alchemer measures trust in AI recommendations at 35.4%, and Salesforce frames AI agents as an emerging product-discovery channel. The differences largely reflect varying questions and measurement approaches (usage, intent, trust, or future channel readiness). The reports imply marketers should prepare product information and fundamentals (accurate product data, reviews, personalized offers) for AI-driven discovery even as consumer adoption and trust remain uneven.
Receive all future signals for Attentive & competitors in your briefing
Never miss material M&A deals, leadership changes, account wins, or product rollouts. Polaris7 monitors 20,000+ primary sources 24/7, delivering verified telemetry directly into your executive briefing.