Synchrony released new findings from its In Sync with Consumers survey showing that generative artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a primary shopping advisor for many Americans. More than half (56%) of U.S. consumers surveyed reported using generative artificial intelligence during the 2025 holiday shopping season, indicating that usage has moved beyond experimentation into regular shopping behavior. Among those users, artificial intelligence powered product discovery and deal hunting were the top holiday shopping use cases across age groups, reinforcing the technology’s growing role at the start of the purchase journey.
The survey reports that among consumers spanning all age demographics who used generative artificial intelligence, approximately a third used generative artificial intelligence to compare products (34%) and hunt for the best price (29%). Three-quarters (75%) of consumers across income levels are taking more time to find the best price when making a purchase decision suggesting generative artificial intelligence may become an increasingly important tool for consumers to make the right purchasing decision. Synchrony executives describe artificial intelligence as a new type of shopping advisor that can provide more confident, low friction decision making while tying recommendations directly to loyalty, rewards, and financing options.
The data underscores sharp generational differences in comfort and expectations around artificial intelligence enabled commerce. The survey shows that 45% of Gen Z report they are comfortable taking product recommendations from an artificial intelligence tool, 44% of Gen Z are comfortable taking financing options from an artificial intelligence tool, and 41% of Gen Z expect to use an artificial intelligence agent to complete shopping tasks on their behalf in the future. By contrast, nearly a quarter of Boomers (25%) report they are comfortable taking product recommendations from an artificial intelligence tool, but less than 20% are comfortable taking financing recommendations or having an artificial intelligence agent shop on their behalf. Synchrony frames these gaps as evidence that retailers and financial providers must design artificial intelligence integrated systems that can adapt to different comfort levels while supporting the emerging age of agentic commerce. The survey is based on ongoing monthly sentiment from a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 18 and older, with results collected between October 1, 2025 and December 5, 2025.
