A Talkdesk survey finds 89% of U.S. shoppers used AI during the holidays, saving hours—but trust and transparency now shape brand loyalty.
Talkdesk has released its Post-2025 Holiday Shopping Survey, revealing how deeply artificial intelligence has embedded itself into the American retail experience. According to the findings, 89 percent of U.S. shoppers used AI in some form during the 2025 holiday season—reshaping how consumers searched, compared, and purchased gifts.
The shift translated into tangible gains for shoppers. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said AI made shopping more efficient, with 74 percent reporting that it saved them hours. Forty-three percent estimated AI reduced their shopping time by one to three hours, while 26 percent saved four to six hours. Seven percent said it saved them more than six hours.
Usage of AI tools rose sharply across nearly every category. Sixty-eight percent of shoppers used AI chatbots to find cost-saving deals, up from 60 percent in 2024, while 66 percent relied on AI for gift ideas—an increase from 43 percent the year before. Consumers also turned to AI for product reviews (61 percent), personal shopping inspiration (50 percent), purchasing gifts (46 percent), and tracking shipments (45 percent).
Overall, 57 percent of respondents said AI improved their holiday shopping experience. For retailers, better experiences appeared to translate into higher spend: 44 percent of shoppers said they increased their holiday spending, despite financial pressures during the year.
“AI is reshaping how people experience retail,” said Michael Klein, head of retail, travel, and hospitality product marketing at Talkdesk. “When implemented thoughtfully, AI helps shoppers save time and money and shop with more confidence. But as adoption grows, retailers must be as focused on earning trust as they are on delivering efficiency.”
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Trust, Ethics, and the AI Trade-Off
The survey also highlights how quickly trust can erode when AI goes wrong. Nearly one in four shoppers reported receiving a biased product recommendation from an AI chatbot, often based on stereotypes. Among those consumers, 32 percent said they lost trust in the brand, 27 percent said they would not recommend it, and 19 percent said they would stop shopping with it altogether.
Transparency remains another pressure point. Thirty-one percent of shoppers who interacted with customer service during the holidays said they were unsure whether they were speaking with a human or an AI agent. If a brand failed to disclose that an AI agent was involved, 40 percent said they would feel misled.
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Less Stress, More Confidence
For shoppers who reported positive experiences, AI also eased the emotional strain of holiday shopping. Sixty-six percent said it made finding gifts easier and less stressful, while 65 percent said it helped them identify better deals. Nearly half said AI delivered more relevant recommendations, and 43 percent cited faster service or support.
AI’s role in gift selection proved especially notable. Only 1 percent of respondents said AI made poor gift choices, while nearly one-third said AI picked gifts better than they would have on their own.
Looking ahead, 77 percent of shoppers said they are more likely to use AI while shopping throughout 2026, signaling continued adoption. But consumer expectations are rising in parallel. As AI becomes a standard feature of retail, the survey suggests that brands able to pair innovation with ethical, transparent practices will be best positioned to earn trust—and long-term loyalty.
Methodology: The Talkdesk Post-2025 Holiday Shopping Survey was conducted on December 31, 2025, via Pollfish, surveying 1,000 U.S. consumers who made purchases during the 2025 holiday season.
