Pre-festive searches related to AI platforms up 2.6x, crossing 654 Mn: Report

Pre-festive searches related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms surged by 2.6 times in 2025 compared to the previous year, totalling over 654 million searches, according to the latest festive report, GRWAi (Get Ready with AI), from GIPSI, the HI+AI research and insights division of Tonic Worldwide. This foundational shift indicates that AI tools are quickly becoming a core element in how Indian consumers prepare for and experience the festive season, guiding everything from content generation to purchase decisions.

The GIPSI study highlights a fundamental transformation in consumer behaviour, beginning with preparation. Consumers are moving past simple inspiration and engaging in mood boarding for every detail, including fashion, gifting, décor, and food.

Pinterest, for example, recorded over 6,000 searches for ‘Pooja Invitation Card Backgrounds.’ Simultaneously, AI is displacing traditional search results; AI Overviews are now the ‘new front page of search,’ suggesting that for brands, effective placement within these summaries, or ‘Share of Model (SOM)’, is now a critical metric, superseding traditional Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

This shift aligns with the massive projected lift in consumer spending, with Festive e-commerce GMV projected at Rs 1.15 Lakh crore following the GST Bachat Utsav, which contributed to a 120% increase in search interest for 'GST' in September 2025.

AI tools are proving instrumental in moving shoppers from consideration to checkout. In e-commerce, AI assistants are converting tentative browsers (Hoppers) into confirmed buyers (Shoppers) by reducing friction and offering personalised nudges.

The technology is seeing rapid adoption, with over 10 million Amazon users in India reportedly trying out the company’s AI assistant, Rufus. Case studies show significant success: Myntra's AI assistant, Maya, reportedly makes users 3 times more likely to purchase and helps them discover products across 16% more categories.

The role of Generative AI has also created a new form of consumer interaction on social media, turning ‘Prompts’ into the new ‘Filters.’ Consumers are using AI prompts to experiment and create personalised festive content, leading to an increase in related searches.

Searches for 'AI Prompts' saw a 7.5x jump in the pre-festive 2025 period, totalling over 1.6 million searches. This generative wave powers viral content: videos featuring AI photo editing for events like Garba/Dandiya garnered over 2.7 million views on the Top 10 YouTube Shorts in 2025, and AI-generated content related to 'Rakshabandhan' accumulated over 250 million views.

Finally, the report issues a caution that brands must ‘HI-Proof’ their activities, ensuring Human Intelligence validates the content, as AI generation faces increasing consumer scrutiny over authenticity. Several recent advertising campaigns using AI have been publicly criticised.

The report implies that while AI offers new pathways for efficiency and scale, brands must prioritise authentic human connection to avoid backlash.

Commenting on the GRWAi report, Anjali Malthankar, Global Strategy Director and GIPSI Co-Head, Tonic Worldwide, said, “This festive season, GRWAi is not just a report but a CTA as we enter the second half of the season. AI is not just a marketer’s tool; there are clear signals of consumers experimenting, engaging with and flaunting AI. Some of this behaviour is intentional and some has slipped into their behaviour without them realising it. I strongly feel as far as AI is concerned, predictive, generative, or both, brands can ignore AI but can’t escape it. Because either you are lacking, leveling, or leading with AI. There is no ’fighting’ it. While I say this, I don’t think the role of HI (Human intelligence) will be undermined. In fact, in our report, we caution brands to HI-proof the use of AI.”