Amazon’s AI chatbot Rufus drove sales on Black Friday

Amazon's AI chatbot, Rufus, experienced a remarkable increase in usage during Black Friday, as highlighted by recent findings from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. In the United States, transactions linked to Amazon sessions that utilized Rufus soared by 100% compared to the previous 30 days. In contrast, sessions that resulted in purchases without the assistance of Rufus saw a modest increase of just 20%. Additionally, the data showed a substantial 75% rise in day-over-day sessions that included Rufus and led to purchases, while sessions without the AI tool recorded a 35% increase. Rufus not only contributed to higher sales but also significantly boosted overall engagement on Amazon's platform. On Black Friday, Amazon's total website sessions grew by 20% day-over-day, while sessions involving Rufus jumped by 35%. Initially launched in beta in early 2024, Rufus has since rolled out to all U.S. customers, assisting shoppers in product discovery, recommendations, and comparisons. The increased reliance on AI for holiday shopping reflects a broader trend, with Adobe Analytics revealing an astounding 805% year-over-year rise in AI-driven traffic to U.S. retail sites on Black Friday. This suggests that more consumers are turning to generative AI chatbots for deal hunting and product research this holiday season. The impact of AI on conversion rates is notable, as shoppers arriving at retail sites via AI services were found to be 38% more likely to make a purchase compared to those arriving through non-AI sources. However, it's less clear whether AI had a direct hand in the record-breaking Black Friday spending of $11.8 billion, which may be attributed to higher prices rather than an increase in online shopping volume. According to TechCrunch, data from Salesforce indicated a 7% average price increase, alongside a 1% decline in order quantity. Sensor Tower's analysis also suggests that consumer spending might be more cautious this year, likely influenced by economic pressures. Although mobile app and website engagement surged on Black Friday compared to the previous month, total visits and downloads indicated a slowdown from 2024’s figures. For instance, downloads of Amazon and Walmart's mobile apps rose by 24% and 20%, respectively, compared to the prior 30 days, but this was a marked decline from the 50% and 75% growth seen in 2024. Website visits for Amazon and Walmart on Black Friday increased by 90% and 100%, respectively, yet these figures were lower than the impressive gains of 95% and 130% from the previous year. An Adobe survey also revealed that nearly half of respondents (48%) either used or plan to use AI tools specifically for their holiday shopping endeavors.