Marketers Should Prepare for More Fragmented Discovery Journeys
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than one-third, or 34%, of U.S. consumers report being very or extremely willing to use Gen AI-backed tools or chatbots for holiday gift recommendations, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.
A Gartner survey of 1,004 US consumers conducted in August 2026 found that AI is emerging as a potential avenue for shopping inspiration, though traditional discovery and purchase channels remain dominant.
“AI is beginning to establish a role in the holiday shopping journey, but it is not replacing the channels consumers already use,” said Emily Weiss, Sr Principal Analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice. “Consumers who use AI for holiday shopping are also consulting a wider range of other sources, meaning marketers should prepare for more fragmented discovery journeys.”
AI Expands, Rather Than Replaces, Holiday Shopping Discovery
Retailer websites, traditional internet searches, and friends’ and family wishlists remain the most common sources of holiday shopping inspiration. In-store shopping and Amazon are also expected to remain the leading purchase channels, with 77% of consumers planning to shop in stores and 75% planning to shop on Amazon.
Consumers who currently use AI tools or chatbots for holiday shopping inspiration consult an average of 4.48 inspiration sources, compared with 3.24 among consumers who don’t use AI for holiday shopping inspiration. The finding indicates that AI is currently adding another layer to product discovery rather than replacing established shopping behaviors.
“Marketers should not treat AI shopping tools as a standalone channel,” said Weiss. “Consumers are layering AI onto existing shopping behaviors, making an already fragmented discovery journey even more complex. Marketers need to make products easy to discover and evaluate across AI tools, search, retailer websites, marketplaces and stores.”
Additional Insights Available
Gartner clients can read more in the report 2026 Holiday Advertising and Consumer Trends Marketing Must Address.
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Gartner
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Gartner
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