Cyber Week's biggest lesson? AI tools may be making shoppers more savvy

Adobe reported that consumers spent a total of $44.2 billion online for Cyber Week, up 7.7% year-over-year. The strong sales demand was bolstered by record spending online during Black Friday ($11.8 billion, up 9.1% Y/Y). Adobe noted that it is now the second holiday season in a row where Black Friday growth outpaced Cyber Monday.

The biggest lesson of Cyber Week may have been the rise of generative AI. While much has been made of the benefit to large retailers on the back end, it appears savvy shoppers also utilized AI tools to find the very best deals and prices on the front end.

"U.S. retailers leaned heavily on discounts this holiday season to drive online demand. Competitive and persistent deals throughout Cyber Week pushed consumers to shop earlier, creating an environment where Black Friday now challenges the dominance of Cyber Monday," highlighted Adobe lead analyst Vivek Pandya. "Shoppers have also become increasingly savvy in finding the best deals and locating the right products, embracing generative AI-powered chat services and browser tools for the second season in a row."