Generative AI is expected to become a crucial component of online shopping during this year’s Prime Day sales event, according to recent industry forecasts. The annual sale organized by Amazon kicked off on Tuesday and now runs for four days from July 8th to July 11th, promising robust sales across numerous online retailers. Overall U.S. e-commerce spending during these four days is anticipated to reach $23.8 billion, marking a significant 28.4% year-over-year growth and an increase of $9.6 billion over the corresponding period last year.
A new report from Adobe, a leading tracker of online shopping activity, attributes this growth partly to consumers’ increasing use of AI tools. Adobe’s analysis is based on data gathered from more than one trillion visits to U.S. retail websites, compiling information on 100 million product listings across 18 categories.
While mobile devices continue to lead the shopping trend—representing approximately 52.5% of transactions—generative AI is rapidly emerging as a notable factor. Adobe forecasts a dramatic 3,200% year-over-year rise in online traffic from generative AI sources during the Prime Day period. Though this AI-driven engagement still trails more traditional channels such as paid search and email, it represents a significant evolution in consumer behavior.
Generative AI technology initially began capturing significant online shopping traffic last holiday season between November and December of 2024, recording an increase of 1,300% compared to the previous year. Adobe’s forecast suggests this adoption will swiftly accelerate during the current Prime Day event.
To illustrate consumer attitudes toward AI-assisted shopping, Adobe conducted a survey involving 5,000 U.S. shoppers. The survey found that many respondents actively use generative AI for shopping-related tasks, including product research (55%), obtaining personalized recommendations (47%), finding discounted items (43%), identifying unique products (35%), gathering gift ideas (35%), and creating shopping lists (33%). Of these users, an overwhelming majority—92%—reported that AI had improved their shopping experiences, and 87% said they would rely on AI to help with larger or more intricate purchases.
Tech companies have strategically leveraged this trend by embedding AI functionalities into their shopping platforms. Google unveiled generative AI features in its Gemini-enhanced product search, while OpenAI recently introduced shopping capabilities into its popular ChatGPT model.
Adobe’s report also highlights that discount-driven categories, particularly apparel, will see among the deepest price reductions during Prime Day. Back-to-school shopping needs will also significantly boost sales, adding further energy to this year’s retail event.
