Dive Brief:
- Holiday shoppers warmed up to AI in 2024. Nearly 9 in 10 shoppers used the technology in some form over the holiday season, according to a Talkdesk survey of 1,000 consumers in the United States released Monday.
- Shoppers leaned on AI to find deals, discover gifts and track shipments.
- A majority of shoppers — 56% — said they were happier with the extra support. Among those who used AI this holiday season, nearly 7 in 10 said they are more likely to use AI shopping throughout the year.
Dive Insight:
Despite consumer skepticism of AI, the 2024 holiday season showed rising use of the technology.
Much of that acceptance may have to do with helpful use cases.
Three in 5 used chatbots to find better prices, discount codes and coupons, and about the same share used AI chatbots to track their shipments. More than 2 in 5 used chatbots for gift inspiration.
Businesses that identify how AI can create value for customers are likely to see more acceptance of the technology among consumers, Bruce Temkin, chief humanity catalyst at temkinsight, told CX Dive last fall.
Talkdesk suggests AI tools gave holiday consumers more confidence in their purchases. According to the survey, 7 in 10 people said they returned fewer products than in prior years.
AI tools are also more widely available — and in some cases, seamlessly integrated into shopping processes. In fact, 7 in 10 consumers said they were not aware of having used generative AI even when they recently shopped with retailers that were likely to use it, according to a November 2024 survey by Bain & Co.
