43% of Gen Z to Spend More This Holiday, 54% Turning to TikTok for Gifts

43%

Around 43% of Gen Z shoppers plan to spend more this holiday season, relying heavily on social media platforms like TikTok (54%) and influencer recommendations for gift ideas. According to a Fiverr report, retailers are responding by increasing investments in digital marketing, with nearly 70% using AI to compete with larger brands and reach younger audiences.

$20

OpenAI has begun rolling out an advanced voice feature for ChatGPT, available to premium users at $20/month. The tool enables more natural conversations and offers nine voice options, but users may hit daily usage limits. The company mentioned that these new features are not yet available for some EU countries, Iceland, Switzerland and the UK.

3B

From Q4, Google plans to integrate its Gemini AI chatbot into select Workspace plans, including Business, Enterprise, and Frontline. This move aims to bring AI capabilities directly into apps like Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail for about 3 billion users, driving wider AI adoption across its platform.

33%

33% of US influencers feel Facebook Reels is the top alternative to TikTok if it's banned, followed by Instagram Reels close behind with 32% per First Insight's August 2024 data. Despite 96% of retailers being aware of a potential TikTok ban, only 28% have a contingency plan in place.

10 M

Bluesky has surpassed 10 million users, fueled by discontent with changes to X (formerly Twitter) and a recent ban on X in Brazil. The decentralized platform, backed by Jack Dorsey, gained one million users in just three days following the ban.

54%

A Pew Research Center study found that 54% of U.S. adults now prefer social media platforms for the latest news updates or any form of news. Meta’s Facebook and Google’s YouTube emerged as the most popular sources for news consumption, reflecting a shift in how people engage with news content. This trend highlights the growing influence of social apps over traditional media, as consumers increasingly favor bite-sized, easily digestible content over long-form investigative journalism.

$11.6 B

Prosper Insights and Analytics stated that for this holiday season, users are predicted to spend $11.6 billion on Halloween this year, down from the previous year's $12.2 billion. Nearly half began shopping before October, driven by a desire to avoid last-minute stress, and the majority are turning to discount and specialty stores.