As Consumers Plan Their Thanksgiving Shopping, AI Stirs the Pot

Thanksgiving has come a long way from its pilgrim origins — this year, the robots are taking over. That is, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how consumers plan their holiday shopping.

Increasingly, the technology is impacting how consumers spend, with one study finding that 90% of consumers are using AI in some way or another for their holiday shopping and another that three in 10 consumers will probably use AI to help plan their holiday travel.

Against this backdrop, guides are circulating to help shoppers use generative AI to get ready for Turkey Day. From budgeting to retooling recipes based on the number of guests who are coming to accommodating dietary restrictions, these guides suggest to consumers that AI can take some of the headache out of holiday planning.

Many shoppers are indeed interested in using AI to guide their buying journeys. PYMNTS Intelligence’s study AI-Enabled Payments Enhance Customer Options, which draws from a survey of more than 2,300 United States consumers, reveals that 44% are at least somewhat interest in AI being involved in how they shop. That share rises to 60% among Generation Z and 54% among millennials.

AI tools are also appearing to provide more convenient options for other parts of consumers’ Thanksgiving routines. Take, for instance, children’s entertainment. Adobe has a Thanksgiving AI coloring page generator in which parents or their kids can enter holiday-specific prompts and receive their custom activity sheets. One guide even recommends using generative AI for tips on emotional matters such as holiday stress management and dealing with family political disagreements.

Thanksgiving is not the only holiday getting an AI boost. Walmart announced Wednesday (Oct. 30) the addition of generative AI tools to offer personalized shopping suggestions. AI is also transforming Christmas music, recently producing a Spanish language remake of Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

More and more AI tools are making their way into retail overall as the technology continues to evolve, and leading generative AI providers continue to expand.

Granted, some consumers are skeptical. Thirty-five percent are not at all interested in AI being involved in shopping, PYMNTS Intelligence’s study Consumer Inflation Sentiment: Consumer Interest in Artificial Intelligence revealed, and 34% are totally uninterested in AI being involved in entertainment.

Still, nearly half of consumers (47%) believe generative AI is very useful for accessing information quickly, per the PYMNTS Intelligence report GenAI and Voice Assistants: Adoption and Trust Across Generations. Plus, that share increases to nearly two-thirds among Gen Z consumers.

As Thanksgiving and other holiday traditions evolve, artificial intelligence is stepping into an unexpected role in Americans’ celebrations. From simplifying shopping plans to personalizing activities, AI offers new tools for reducing seasonal stress and enhancing convenience. Although not all consumers are on board, many see potential in these technologies to streamline everything from budgeting to holiday entertainment. As generative AI tools become more widespread and refined, they may reshape how consumers celebrate, creating a holiday season where digital assistance becomes as common as turkey on the table.