Most consumers this holiday season are ready to let AI streamline their shopping and payment experience, according to the latest Applause Holiday Shopping & Payments Survey 2025 .
The findings showcase how digital commerce is evolving, driven by shoppers who value quality, convenience, and personalization across every touchpoint. This new reality means retailers must adapt quickly to meet changing consumer expectations and embrace smart technologies for sustained success.
A remarkable 69% of consumers say they are likely to use AI to support their holiday shopping, with 94% willing to try a shopping agent powered by artificial intelligence.
Popular use cases include finding deals, discovering gifts through visual search, and accessing personalized recommendations—reflecting a dramatic shift in how people interact with brands online. Despite this demand, only 50% of software professionals report their organization is developing a shopping agent.
Of the group pursuing advancements, 32% work in-house , and 18% partner with leading tech companies. Programs such as OpenAI Instant Checkout and Microsoft’s Copilot Merchant are fast becoming industry benchmarks for embedded commerce solutions.
60% of shoppers plan to use AI to find deals, 56% seek gift suggestions, and 53% will leverage the technology for visual searches. This data signals an undeniable movement toward agentic and recommendation-driven digital shopping…
