Santa’s new helper? AI’s growing role in the Christmas gifting journey
Opinion
Generative AI is playing a more significant role in consumer Christmas shopping this year, but knowing how it fits into the broader retail journey is key to brand success, says Ipsos iris.
Much has been said about shifts in the search ecosystem this year, with AI poised to transform it. But how much have AI summaries, assistants, and chatbots influenced everyday purchase decisions, and which target audiences are seeing the most significant shifts?
Our latest research shows AI is playing a growing role in Christmas gifting for younger audiences. Nearly one in four under-35s are using (or plan to use) AI to search for Christmas gifts.
This figure is over four times that of the over-35s, suggesting younger shoppers are making the most of these tools in their gifting journeys.
What’s more, those who have adopted it are finding it helpful. Almost all AI gift searchers list it among their top three most useful search methods.
According to Ipsos iris, 21m people in the UK used LLM AI platforms in September 2025 – up 78% from the same time last year. While 15-24s remain the largest users of ChatGPT, reach has at least doubled across all older age groups over the past year. We expect the market to continue shifting, and for consumers’ behaviours to follow.
Christmas gifting, of course, is one very specific occasion. Each category is unique, and it is important to understand new journeys in depth for individual brands and services. It is not enough to know your target audience is using AI, the question is how and why – and are your brands showing up?
Know your blindspots
Our study indicates that AI drives commercial value for brands. About half of users hope AI will recommend where to buy gifts, suggest ideas, and help them narrow their choices. Perhaps most importantly, AI is becoming relied on and implicitly trusted. About eight in 10 who use it feel they can depend on brand and retailer website recommendations in AI summaries.
As people increasingly rely on AI recommendations, GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is more important than ever. Too often, exactly what AI summaries are saying about brands is a blind spot.
This year, researchers have developed tools to help navigate this, such as Ipsos Synthesio’s GEO tool. It can help understand the share of voice for LLMs, how this varies by the types of questions users ask, and the key sources from which AI is drawing. All of this can inform strategies to boost your visibility.
One part of a broader puzzle
While the number of people using AI to inform purchase decisions is undoubtedly growing, this remains part of a broader purchase journey.
In our study on gifting, ‘traditional’ channels dominate. Older shoppers have a clear preference for both physical and online retailers. Even amongst under-35s, the highest-ranked top choice for Christmas gifting is physical retailers, closely followed by online retailers and social media. It seems there is still some way to go before AI fully embeds itself as an established helper for gifting among the broader population.
LLMs aren’t operating in a vacuum, so it’s essential to understand where they sit and the role they play alongside these ‘traditional’ channels in online journeys.
For example, data from Ipsos iris, our passive online measurement solution, shows that just 8% of visits to ChatGPT are followed by a visit to a retail site.
In fact, the biggest share of people go on to search engines, showing that LLMs are often one stop on a longer journey. So it’s not necessarily the case that people are shifting from search engines to AI – there is interplay between them (and other touchpoints).
Passive tracking can help understand this interplay. A clear ‘map’ of how people’s journeys unfold in real time – and how AI is influencing them – can unlock insights to help you navigate these choppy waters. Combining this with qualitative ethnography can provide an even richer understanding of context, emotional drivers, and granular behaviour.
These complexities present both threats and opportunities. How, when, and why people are making the most of new search options are shifting constantly, and brands need solid insights to keep up.
We expect grappling with how to adapt strategies and spending will continue way into 2026. When you are asking Santa for gifts this year, understanding new consumer journeys for your brands should be at the top of your Christmas list.
Matt Patchett is an associate director and the insight lead for Ipsos iris