Infobip Forecasts 7.3 Billion Black Friday Interactions as AI…

Event summary

Infobip predicts 7.3 billion customer interactions during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2026.
63.2% of consumers have used AI assistants or chatbots for shopping in the past year.
Nearly 60% of respondents started holiday shopping by early November, not waiting for Black Friday week.
85% of consumers expect order confirmations within five minutes, with 47% expecting support responses in the same timeframe.

The big picture

Infobip's predictions highlight the evolving dynamics of the retail landscape, where AI is reshaping customer interactions and extending the shopping season beyond traditional Black Friday. The data underscores the need for retailers to adopt AI-driven solutions to manage the increased volume of interactions and meet heightened consumer expectations for speed and personalization. This trend reflects broader industry shifts toward automation and real-time engagement in customer experience management.

What we're watching

AI Integration: How retailers will balance AI-driven personalization with consumer trust boundaries, particularly in handling complaints and decision-making.
Channel Strategy: Whether the shift toward conversational and mobile channels will outpace traditional email for promotional engagement.
Operational Efficiency: The pace at which AI and automation become essential for meeting real-time customer expectations during high-volume shopping periods.