German shoppers increasingly use AI for Black Friday deals

A YouGov survey indicates a significant rise in the use of artificial intelligence among German shoppers preparing for Black Friday. While 31 percent of Germans intend to take advantage of discount promotions, interest is heavily skewed by age; 47 percent of Gen Z and Millennials plan to shop, compared to only 20 percent of Gen X and Baby Boomers.

AI is increasingly being used to navigate sales, with 51 percent of shoppers planning to utilize AI tools this Black Friday, up from 23 percent the previous year. Consumers are turning to AI to verify the authenticity of discounts and find the best deals. Among the tools preferred for this purpose, ChatGPT leads with 56 percent, followed by Google Gemini at 41 percent, while Meta AI, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude see much lower usage.

Despite the integration of AI in the search and discovery phases, human control remains dominant during the transaction process. Only 10 percent of shoppers allow AI to place orders after approval, and only 8 percent permit fully automated purchasing. This trend follows a period in 2025 where German online spending during Black Weeks increased by 51 percent.