AI shopping tools help drive record US$11.8 billion in US Black Friday online spending

A Reuters‑based report shows that AI‑powered shopping assistants such as Walmart’s Sparky and Amazon’s Rufus helped push US online Black Friday sales to a record US$11.8 billion, up 9.1% year‑on‑year. Adobe Analytics and Salesforce data indicate AI‑driven traffic to US retail sites surged 805% and that AI agents influenced US$14.2 billion in global online sales, underscoring how generative AI is rapidly reshaping consumer behavior and e‑commerce strategies.