What reasons did shoppers give for not using AI for holiday shopping?

Among those who don't plan to use the technology, 42% cited personal or ethical reasons, 37% said it takes away the personal aspect of gift giving, and 26% said they don't trust AI recommendations.

What tasks are shoppers willing to use AI for?

The survey found 17% plan to use AI to compare prices or deals, 14% for gift ideas or inspiration, and 7% to write messages or cards.

Does the survey measure actual AI shopping behavior?

No. Bank of America said the survey only measures intentions, and those tend to get flexible in the last-minute scramble before Christmas. The bank doesn't have data showing whether shoppers are actually using AI less.

Top Companies' AI MovesAI Business & IndustryTop Companies AI13h agoNov 15, 2026, 06:30 JST

72% of Americans skip AI holiday shopping, Bank of America finds

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3 Key Points

What happened
A Bank of America survey found 72% of Americans don't plan to use AI for holiday shopping this year, up from 49% in 2025, even as Google, Meta and OpenAI roll out AI shopping tools.
Why it matters
The gap between industry ambition and consumer intent suggests shoppers are growing more selective about when AI is worth using, with many citing personal or ethical reasons and distrust of AI recommendations.

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Context & Analysis

Tech companies have spent the past year building AI into shopping. Google introduced an AI-powered shopping cart, Meta's Muse can search for products and prepare purchases for approval, and OpenAI's new ChatGPT Wallet lets eligible users pay through an AI agent. Adobe expects traffic from AI tools to U.S. retail sites to jump 130% this holiday season.

The consumer survey points the other way. Bank of America asked the AI shopping question the same way in both years, and the share saying they don't plan to use AI for holiday shopping rose from 49% to 72%. Lora Monfared, head of consumer credit card products at Bank of America, said some of last year's curiosity may have worn off and shoppers may be showing "a bit of AI fatigue." Colleen Kirk, a professor of marketing at New York Institute of Technology, said the hesitation may have less to do with what AI can do than what shoppers feel they lose: the time and thought spent choosing a gift create what researchers call psychological ownership.

Shoppers are not rejecting AI outright. They are assigning it the less personal tasks, such as comparing prices or writing messages. Kirk suggested consumers come up with their own gift ideas first, then use AI to narrow options, and said some may decide giving up a little ownership of the process is worth more time for emotional connections.

FAQ

What reasons did shoppers give for not using AI for holiday shopping?: Among those who don't plan to use the technology, 42% cited personal or ethical reasons, 37% said it takes away the personal aspect of gift giving, and 26% said they don't trust AI recommendations.
What tasks are shoppers willing to use AI for?: The survey found 17% plan to use AI to compare prices or deals, 14% for gift ideas or inspiration, and 7% to write messages or cards.
Does the survey measure actual AI shopping behavior?: No. Bank of America said the survey only measures intentions, and those tend to get flexible in the last-minute scramble before Christmas. The bank doesn't have data showing whether shoppers are actually using AI less.

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