Mobile shopping and AI drive record 2024 US holiday sales, with online purchases reaching $282 billion in the United States according to Salesforce data.
Key performance metrics: The 2024 holiday shopping season demonstrated significant growth in both traditional and digital retail channels.
- Total global online holiday sales reached $1.2 trillion in 2024
- US online and non-store sales ranged between $295.1 billion and $297.9 billion
- Key shopping days showed strong performance with Thanksgiving ($6.1 billion), Black Friday ($10.8 billion), and Cyber Monday ($13.3 billion) all posting substantial figures
Mobile commerce dominance: Mobile shopping emerged as the preferred method for holiday purchases, transforming how consumers interact with retailers.
- Mobile sales accounted for $146 billion, representing nearly 60% of total holiday spending
- 69% of all transactions were completed through mobile devices
- Buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) options contributed significantly to mobile transaction volumes
AI-powered retail innovation: Artificial Intelligence tools enhanced the shopping experience through personalized recommendations and improved customer service.
- AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants contributed to 19% of total holiday sales worldwide, a 6% increase from 2023
- Usage of AI agents increased 25% during holiday months compared to September and October 2024
- Retailers leveraged AI for personalized product recommendations based on browsing history and previous purchases
Technology adoption trends: The retail sector showed increased investment in mobile and AI technologies to meet consumer demands.
- Mobile e-commerce software category experienced a 45% increase in user reviews over five quarters
- High traffic to AI Sales Assistants, Chatbots, and AI Chatbots categories indicated growing interest in these technologies
- Retailers increasingly adopted dedicated mobile apps to complement their e-commerce websites
Economic factors: A strong economic environment supported increased consumer spending during the holiday season.
- Robust job market and wage growth boosted consumer confidence
- Total holiday spending was predicted to exceed $979 billion
- Year-over-year growth ranged between 2.5% to 3.5% compared to 2023
Looking ahead: While early AI implementations in retail faced challenges with contextual understanding and ROI, the 2024 holiday season demonstrated significant progress in AI capabilities, suggesting continued evolution in how retailers leverage technology to enhance the shopping experience and drive sales growth.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...