More US consumers are using AI to help with shopping ahead of the holiday season, according to Visa's 2026 Holiday Spending Shift Survey. The survey, conducted online by Morning Consult on behalf of Visa between 26 September and 2 October 2026, polled 1,016 US adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
AI used for research and deal-hunting
According to the findings, 54% of US adults have used AI for at least one shopping task, up from 47% a year earlier, and 41% would not tell someone that AI helped choose their gift. Consumers are most comfortable using AI to compare prices (61%), check availability (59%), find discounts (57%), and suggest gift ideas (54%). Among Gen Z, more than eight in ten are open to AI assistance.
Nearly a quarter say they are more comfortable using AI for shopping than a year ago. Cost pressures are also shaping behaviour, with 84% of consumers having taken at least one step to manage higher everyday costs, most commonly looking for discounts (47%), cutting discretionary spending (35%), and trading down to cheaper brands (33%). Michael Brown, Principal US Economist at Visa, said consumers are looking for deals, experimenting with AI, and changing how they shop in response to fraud concerns.
Fraud, cross-border shopping, and stablecoins
Nearly three in ten shoppers said they were targeted by fraud during the previous holiday season, rising to 39% among Gen Z. In response, three-quarters of Americans have changed how they shop, including enabling two-factor authentication (34%), changing passwords more often (34%), not saving payment details (25%), switching from debit to credit cards (24%), and using digital wallets (21%).
Three in ten Americans expect to buy at least one gift from an overseas seller. Stablecoins are also gaining recognition, with 56% of respondents seeing a benefit, rising to 77% among Gen Z. Travel (60%) and live-event tickets (55%) top the list of gifts people most want to give or receive, although 27% are prioritising physical items in their spending, compared with 15% for experiences.
