The new holiday shopping concierge Is AI: Why conversational search will shape Black Friday & Cyber Monday (www.techradar.com)

This holiday season, generative conversational AI is replacing keyword-driven product grids as the first stop for many shoppers: instead of searching, users will ask assistants for recommendations that weigh tradeoffs, surface top SKUs, flag stock risks, and judge deal timing. Conversational chat provides structured, rationale-backed answers (e.g., “compact stroller for cobblestones, fits a hatchback, under $300”) and can combine signals like historical pricing and real-time availability to advise whether a discount is meaningful or urgent. Use cases expected to surge include curated comparisons, deal-timing guidance, and plain-language category education—especially in beauty, footwear, and home goods where discovery begins with a problem, not a model number. For brands and publishers this shifts the economics of attention: explicit intent in chat is higher-value than generic keywords, creating new opportunities for conversational ad formats, contextual placements, and publisher monetization—but also raising requirements for clear disclosure, permissioned content use, and privacy hygiene. Success metrics to watch after Cyber Week are adoption (repeat use), speed-to-decision (fewer tabs, faster purchases), and publisher revenue share. Practical guidance: pilot narrow intents, instrument outcomes tightly, keep responses concise and helpful, and consider modest consumer incentives. If done transparently, conversational discovery promises lower friction, higher-confidence purchases, and a new channel for high-intent commerce.