Shoppers are turning to AI to win on Black Friday – and you could too
Black Friday 2024 looks a little different this year, and it’s all thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence. Forget aimlessly scrolling through endless deals or juggling ten tabs to find the best price when you can turn to AI tools to make shopping more effective and less stressful. Many people are embracing tools like ChatGPT and other AI assistants to streamline the chaos and make serious savings. A report from Boston Consulting Group found that 38% of people have used or plan to use AI for Black Friday shopping this year. And 44% of shoppers will rely on AI assistants for their Christmas shopping, according to one questionnaire by Attest.
The appeal is obvious. Instead of spending hours comparing prices or poring over reviews, let AI do the hard work. Do you want to find the lowest price for a new laptop? AI can scan dozens of retailers in seconds. Wondering if that fancy espresso machine is worth it? AI can summarize reviews and highlight what people love (or hate) about them. It’s like having a super smart shopping friend who never gets tired.
This year, more shoppers than ever are turning to AI for their Black Friday strategies. A growing number of people are using AI tools specifically to navigate holiday deals, especially those familiar with the technology. The Attest report shows that 56% of AI users use the tools to find bargains. AI is also helpful in getting personalized gift recommendations and finding items on sale that you may have missed.
Retailers will surely be as happy with AI as the customers if it can boost sales. And so far, people seem to like using AI tools this way: 70% of consumers report that generative AI tools improve their shopping experience, according to a WHOP. report. Some already have internal AI shopping assistants. Both Amazon and Google use AI to help shoppers (and encourage more sales) within their own store ecosystems, and you’ll likely see a growing number of retailers directly implement AI in a similar way.
Of course, AI’s shortcomings don’t go away during the holidays, so there are plenty of scams that use AI or that your AI shopping companion could fall for. Beware of fake deal sites that your AI friend directs you to. With that caveat, you can mostly trust AI to at least guide you to some good products and bargains. And maybe you won’t be dealing with holiday FOMO because of a great sale you missed during the rush.
