For many, the holiday season means navigating the annual chaos and stress of gift shopping. With the rise of artificial intelligence, AI tools are stepping in as personal shopping assistants, from brainstorming gift ideas to snagging the best deals.
But while some shoppers are keen to be helped by AI, others remain hesitant. As revealed by a Statista Consumer Insights survey conducted in October and November 2025 in the U.S., around 70 percent of American respondents could imagine using AI tools when buying Christmas gifts, with the most frequently cited applications being: "gift ideas" (32 percent), "price comparison" (30 percent) and "coupons & discounts" (24 percent). However, nearly 30 percent said they could not imagine using this type of tool at all.
As our chart shows, there is a stark generational split in the intention of using AI assistants for Christmas shopping: the rejection rate is 67 percent among Baby Boomers, compared to 10-12 percent among Generation Z and Millennials. Furthermore, those over 60 years old who envision using AI tend to be more interested in price comparison tools, which are the most frequently cited application in this age group (18 percent). For younger generations, gift idea assistance is the most popular (32 to 42 percent).
