During the 2025 holiday shopping frenzy, artificial intelligence didn’t just assist customers—it propelled a staggering $262 billion in retail revenue, accounting for 20% of total sales. Salesforce data reveals shoppers opted for AI and agentic customer service channels more than twice as often during the peak rush compared to the prior two months, marking a seismic shift in consumer behavior. Global online sales hit a record $1.29 trillion from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, up 7% year over year, with AI agents handling 142% more tasks like returns and shipping updates.

“This wasn’t just a bigger holiday season than last year; it was a more efficient, intelligent one,” said Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights at Salesforce. Agentic AI conversations surged 66% in December over November, while interactions the week of Christmas and Boxing Day rose 12% year over year. Third-party AI search traffic from tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity doubled globally and in the U.S., funneling high-intent buyers directly to retailers.

Retailers deploying their own AI agents, such as Pandora, SharkNinja, and Funko, posted 59% higher sales growth at 6.2% year over year versus 3.9% for others, per Salesforce.

Shopper Surge Toward AI Efficiency

A Talkdesk survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers found 88% used AI during the 2024 holiday season precursor, with 56% reporting happier experiences and 69% more likely to embrace AI-powered shopping in 2025. “Our survey demonstrates that consumers embraced AI-powered tools across the buying journey this holiday season for more personalized, easy, and stress-free shopping,” said Ed Durbin, vice president and general manager of industry strategy for retail and consumer goods at Talkdesk. Over half (58%) now expect elevated shopping standards due to AI innovations.

Liveops’ 2025 Holiday AI & Customer Service Report, polling 1,000 U.S. adults, showed 78% encountered AI via chatbots, automated texts, delivery updates, voice assistants, and self-service portals—73% more than in 2024. Yet, only 17% want more AI next year, while 32% prefer less, citing shortfalls in empathy and problem resolution despite speed gains.

Generation gaps emerged starkly: 89% of Gen Z used AI versus 60% of Boomers, with younger shoppers favoring app-based automation, according to Liveops.

Agentic AI Reshapes Service Dynamics

Shoppers chose retailer AI for service 126% more during the rush than prior months, per Customer Experience Dive citing Salesforce. Max Ball, principal analyst at Forrester, warns one-third of brands rushing AI self-service will fail, damaging relationships with unresolved issues. Terra Higginson, principal research director at Info-Tech Research Group, urges CX leaders to adapt journeys starting on third-party AI platforms.

Adobe Analytics reported U.S. online sales at $257.8 billion, up 6.8%, with AI traffic to sites jumping 693% year over year. Buy-now-pay-later usage hit $20 billion, up 9.8%, as AI streamlined high-volume periods like Cyber Week’s $336.6 billion global sales, up 7%.

Saks leveraged Salesforce’s Agentforce for support without cost spikes, exemplifying how agents deflected 60% of cases for brands like Pandora’s Clara agent, boosting Net Promoter Scores 10%, via Salesforce.

Retailers Ramp Up AI Deployment

Talkdesk’s third annual report showed 75% of consumers planning AI for deals (up from 66% in 2024) and 67% for gift ideas. Retailers boosted AI usage: 85% for predictive analytics (+24 points), 83% for shopping virtual agents (+24), 79% for service agents (+20), per Talkdesk. Non-AI retailers grew complacent, with 73% unconcerned about competitors.

AI influenced Cyber 5 at 17.1% of U.S. ecommerce, stable from 2024, but peaked at one in three orders for buy-online-pickup-in-store during Christmas week, blending digital efficiency with physical fulfillment, as noted in Digital Commerce 360.

Forrester’s Ball emphasizes measured rollout: hasty implementations risk backlash, while prepared firms like those using Agentforce turned the rush into operational wins.

Challenges Amid the AI Boom

Despite embrace, trust lags. Liveops data highlights demands for transparency in AI use, with consumers wanting clear explanations of data handling. Talkdesk notes retailers must bridge this, as shoppers query how AI aids without opacity.

U.S. shoppers faced higher prices yet resilience, with AI offsetting stress. Salesforce’s Schwartz called it “a new era of ‘agentic’ shopping,” where agents became heroes for tasks surging 142%.

EMarketer observed AI’s heft in chatbots and backend service over shopping assistants, driving the $262 billion via eMarketer.

Looking to 2026 and Beyond

With AI traffic from LLMs up 693.4% per Adobe, retailers must integrate seamlessly. Shopify’s report stresses tech plus authenticity, as spending plans rose $37 to $192 for Black Friday Cyber Monday.

Brands like MeUndies and Blume thrived on early deals and bundles meeting free shipping, amplified by AI personalization. Liveops urges hybrid paths: AI-augmented humans for complex needs.

As 69% of AI users eye broader adoption, per Talkdesk, the 2025 rush cements AI as retail’s backbone, demanding strategic evolution to sustain gains.