Jingle Bots: AI Is Brightening the Holiday Shopping Experience for Consumers

Holiday shoppers are decking the halls with digital help this year, as artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as an ally in navigating seasonal spending. According to a national consumer survey from Experian®, AI tools are making the holiday shopping process easier, more enjoyable, and potentially more budget-friendly with 58 percent of survey respondents who have used AI reporting a significant impact on the way they plan and shop for the holiday season.

AI is the new holiday helper

From budgeting to planning, AI is playing a meaningful role in how consumers shop for the holidays. Nearly 2 in 3 consumers surveyed (63%) are open to AI working as their holiday elf and making their holiday shopping process jollier. When it comes to what they need the most assistance with, consumers say they are most interested in using AI to find the best prices (40%) and spot deals or sales (38%).

While adoption is still growing, those who use AI tools are seeing real benefits. Gen Z leads the way in usage, with 18 percent saying they’ve used AI to help plan or shop for the holidays, nearly double the rate of the general population (10%). Among those who’ve used AI tools to help plan or shop for the holidays, 86 percent say it makes holiday shopping easier, and 76 percent say it makes it more enjoyable.

Consumers alleviate financial pressure with proactive planning

While the holiday season is meant to be a time of joy, expenses and obligations can place pressure on consumers’ finances. In fact, over half (52%) of consumers feel stressed about their finances during the season, and 69 percent of consumers say inflation will affect their holiday shopping this year.

However, consumers are making sure they get on the financial nice list. Over half (56%) said they will set aside money for gifts, tighten their budgets (45%), assess their credit cards to pick the best ones for shopping (25%), and improve their credit score (22%) to prepare their finances for holiday shopping. Among Gen Z specifically, 87 percent are motivated to improve their finances for the holiday buying frenzy.

“The holidays are often filled with joy, but they can also bring financial stress that lingers well into the new year,” said Rod Griffin, senior director of Consumer Education and Advocacy at Experian. “That’s why it’s so important for consumers to turn to trusted resources that support their entire financial journey, from managing holiday budgets to building long-term financial health. With the right tools, including AI, consumers can feel more confident and in control.”

Before the year comes to an end, consumers can take advantage of a few simple strategies to keep their finances on track:

• Let AI be your personal holiday elf: EVA, Experian Virtual Assistant is Experian’s generative AI-powered chatbot that helps members get answers to common financial questions and take immediate action. Personalized to each user, EVA can guide consumers through a wide range of actions, from potentially improving their FICO® Scores¹ and finding the right credit cards to meet their needs to securely locking or unlocking their Experian credit file². It’s designed to simplify financial decisions and help consumers take meaningful steps toward stronger financial health year-round.
• Earn more cheer with the right credit card: Holiday shoppers can visit Experian’s credit card marketplace to find personalized offers, based on their credit profile, that can potentially help them earn rewards, cash back, or other perks. Additionally, through the marketplace, consumers can apply for cards labeled “No Ding Decline™,” which won’t hurt their FICO Score if they’re not initially approved.³ More than 2 million people obtained a credit card through Experian last year.
• Spend where it matters by saving where you can: Holiday budgets can stretch further when everyday expenses shrink, and Experian offers tools to help consumers uncover unexpected savings. Experian’s subscription cancellation⁴ feature identifies subscriptions and makes it easy to cancel those that are unused or unwanted, freeing up extra cash for gifts and celebrations, and the bill negotiation⁵ feature could potentially help lower monthly costs like cable, internet, and phone bills.