Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
Color Scheme
Subscriber Actions
Staff Options
Connect With Us
Support Local Journalism
What people buy online this holiday shopping season will be increasingly influenced by chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, according to Adobe Inc.
AI-assisted traffic to US retail sites will increase 130% from a year ago, the firm said on Monday. Shoppers using artificial intelligence as a research tool are more likely to buy something and will spend more on each transaction than those coming from non-AI channels, Adobe said.
Online sales will rise 6.7% to $275.1 billion in November and December, according to Adobe, which tracks more than 1 trillion visits to US websites. The annual spending binge will provide clues about how bot-assisted shopping could one day transform the $400 billion digital advertising market dominated by Alphabet Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.
“Consumers are getting much more comfortable having dialogues with an agent, getting recommendations and going to the retail site from those conversations,” said Vivek Pandya, Adobe’s director of digital insights. “They’re really leaning on the agent to do this research for them and synthesize the results quickly.”
Adobe’s analysis of AI-assisted shopping focuses on traffic from an independent platform like ChatGPT or Anthropic PBC’s Claude to retail sites. It doesn’t include chatbot searches that start on an online store like Amazon.com or Walmart.com because those shoppers are already there.
While consumers are starting to trust bots to simplify their product searches, only a small fraction are using AI to make a purchase. And even if people wanted to use a shopping bot to buy something on Amazon, they can’t because the company has blocked AI assistants from Perplexity and Meta.
Electronics and apparel will continue to be the biggest categories during the holidays, but spending on groceries and toys will grow at a faster pace, according to Adobe. The steepest discounts will be offered in the five-day period from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, when vacuum cleaners and video games will see the fastest sales growth, the firm said.
“We are going beyond big-ticket items to everyday essentials,” Pandya said.
Local journalism is essential.
Give directly to The Spokesman-Review’s Northwest Passages community forum series — which helps to boost local journalism — by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax-deductible.
Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.
Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens.
Updated 29 minutes ago
Dignified Workday is a rapidly growing low-barrier employment program in Spokane that is reshaping how the community supports individuals experiencing homelessness and instability.
Follow Us
Support Local Journalism
Subscribe
Help
User
Advertising
More
Contact Us
© Copyright 2026, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.