AI-Powered tools take centre stage as shoppers seek smarter holiday deals

AI-powered tools are taking centre stage as shoppers hunt for smarter holiday deals, pushing major retailers and tech giants to upgrade their digital shopping assistants.

Walmart, Amazon and Google have all rolled out next-generation AI-powered tools designed to give consumers personalised recommendations, real-time price tracking, and the ability to place orders through natural, unscripted conversations.

These advances build on updates from platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, with Google even introducing an AI agent capable of calling local stores to check product availability.

Retailers are now positioning AI-powered tools as a must-have feature for convenience-driven holiday shoppers.

Early data signals the technology’s growing influence. Salesforce has estimated that AI will shape $73 billion in global holiday sales this season, up from $60 billion last year, as shoppers increasingly rely on AI-powered tools for gift ideas, stock checks and product comparisons.

Analysts noted that adoption remains uneven, with not every retailer offering meaningful AI integrations and some consumers hesitant to rely on automated assistance.

Moreover, experts have agreed that the more companies introduce sophisticated AI-powered tools, the faster shoppers will embrace them.