Surge in AI Chatbot Usage Drives Amazon's Black Friday Sales

Amazon's AI chatbot, Rufus, experienced significant adoption during Black Friday 2025, contributing to a notable increase in sales. According to data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, sessions on Amazon that resulted in a purchase surged by 100% on Black Friday compared to the previous 30 days. In contrast, sessions that did not involve Rufus saw only a 20% increase in purchases. Furthermore, sessions that included Rufus and resulted in a purchase rose by 75% day-over-day, while those without Rufus experienced a 35% increase.

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The overall website sessions for Amazon increased by 20% day-over-day, but sessions involving Rufus outpaced this growth, rising by 35%. Rufus, which was launched in beta in early 2024 and rolled out to all U.S. customers later that year, assists shoppers in finding products, making recommendations, and performing product comparisons. This surge in Rufus's usage aligns with a broader trend of consumers utilizing AI tools for holiday shopping, as evidenced by an 805% year-over-year increase in AI traffic to U.S. retail sites on Black Friday, according to Adobe Analytics.

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The integration of AI in retail has shown to enhance conversion rates. Shoppers arriving at retail sites through AI services were found to be 38% more likely to make a purchase compared to those coming from non-AI sources. Despite this, the direct contribution of AI to the record Black Friday spending of $11.8 billion remains uncertain. Factors such as rising prices, which increased by an average of 7%, and a slight decline in order volumes (down by 1%) may have influenced this spending figure.

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While mobile app and website adoption surged on Black Friday, the growth rates in total visits and downloads have decelerated compared to 2024. For instance, Amazon's mobile app downloads increased by 24%, and Walmart's by 20% on Black Friday, contrasting sharply with the previous year's growth of 50% and 75%, respectively. Website visits for Amazon and Walmart were up by 90% and 100%, respectively, but these figures also lagged behind the growth seen in 2024.

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An Adobe survey indicated that 48% of respondents either used or planned to use AI for holiday shopping, reflecting a growing acceptance of AI tools among consumers. However, the economic climate, characterized by cautious spending, suggests that while AI adoption is rising, consumers are still navigating financial constraints.

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There are discrepancies in the interpretation of Black Friday sales data. While some sources attribute the record spending to AI's influence, others suggest that economic factors, such as price increases and reduced order volumes, may play a more significant role. The overall sentiment indicates a complex relationship between AI usage and consumer spending behavior.

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• “shoppers who came to a retail site from an AI service were 38% more likely to buy, compared with non-AI traffic sources.” — Sensor Tower

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• “Instead, the sizable figure this year could be due to higher prices, not an increase in online shopping.” — TechCrunch

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• “Sensor Tower’s data similarly suggests that consumers were perhaps being more conservative in their spending this year, likely due to economic strains.” — Sensor Tower

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