Only 34% of U.S. Shoppers Plan AI Use This Holiday

An Omnisend survey conducted in August found U.S. consumers lag other surveyed markets in planned AI-assisted holiday shopping.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Shopping — General

Only 34% of U.S. Shoppers Plan AI Use This Holiday

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Do you trust AI shopping assistants to give you reliable product information?

A survey of 4,363 consumers across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, commissioned by Omnisend and conducted with Cint in August, found 34 percent of U.S. consumers plan to use AI for holiday shopping. That is the lowest share among the four markets surveyed.

Why it matters

The findings suggest AI shopping assistance is still gaining traction with U.S. consumers relative to peers abroad, which may shape how retailers allocate marketing and tools ahead of the holiday season. Preferences for specific AI platforms and marketplaces also indicate where shoppers are directing their purchasing attention.

Among U.S. consumers, Walmart was the preferred online marketplace at 67 percent, ahead of Amazon at 62 percent, while Amazon led in the U.K., Canada and Australia. The survey measures stated intent, not confirmed purchasing outcomes.

The players

Omnisend

Omnisend is an email and SMS marketing platform that commissioned the survey.

Cint

Cint is a market research firm that conducted the survey for Omnisend.

The details

Respondents were asked about their holiday shopping plans, including AI tool use, marketplace preferences and gift choices. Clothing is the first-choice gift category this year, sharing that spot with gift cards.

• August: Omnisend and Cint conducted the survey of 4,363 consumers.
• This holiday season: Consumers plan AI-assisted shopping and gift purchases.

Industry Dynamics

The survey's platform split places Google's Gemini slightly ahead of OpenAI's ChatGPT among U.S. AI-using shoppers planning holiday purchases. Microsoft Copilot trails both at 18 percent, indicating a contest between general-purpose assistants for consumer shopping use.

U.S. shoppers planning holiday purchases may find Walmart and Amazon the most common starting points, with clothing and gift cards the leading gift choices. Comparing marketplace options before buying can help shoppers manage holiday budgets.

The takeaway

Shoppers comparing holiday deals may benefit from checking several marketplaces and AI tools, since the survey shows clear preference splits across platforms. Stated plans may differ from final purchases, so comparing options before committing is a practical step.