Majority of South Africans embrace AI for holiday planning, Kaspersky survey reveals

As the festive season approaches, a new survey conducted by Kaspersky has unveiled a remarkable inclination among South Africans to incorporate artificial intelligence into their holiday activities.

While AI has long been celebrated as a shopping and planning assistant, its role has evolved into a multidimensional digital companion, offering emotional support as well.

However, experts from Kaspersky caution users about the risks associated with trusting AI too implicitly, especially concerning data security.

The Kaspersky survey, carried out globally ahead of the Christmas holidays, revealed that an astonishing 84% of South Africans plan to utilise AI technologies during the upcoming festive period.

In a universal trend, 74% of participants across the globe expressed similar intentions.

The enthusiasm for AI is especially pronounced among the younger generation, with 86% of respondents globally aged 18-34 eager to seek AI's help during the holiday season.

AI users in South Africa are primarily drawn to its efficiency in simplifying the often cumbersome processes of holiday preparations.

The survey showed that over half of the AI-utilising respondents plan to leverage these tools for searching recipes (60%), as well as locating restaurants and accommodation (63%).

The growing reliance on AI illustrates just how entrenched these tools have become in the research phase of holiday planning.

Gift-giving also emerges as a significant area where South Africans look to AI for assistance. Approximately 57% of respondents indicated they would use AI to brainstorm gift ideas, celebrate creatively, or seek tips for Christmas decorations.

Additionally, 45% intend to rely on AI for suggestions on how to spend their leisure time during the holidays.

With 61% viewing AI as a valuable shopping assistant, it's evident that many South Africans are ready to let technology do the heavy lifting—whether that's creating shopping lists, identifying the best deals, or analyzing reviews.

However, as convenient as these tools may be, Kaspersky experts underscore the need for vigilance.

The reliability of information generated by AI can be questionable, and the potential for malicious links is ever-present.

To safeguard against these threats, shoppers are advised to carefully scrutinise AI-dispensed suggestions and verify links through reputable sources.

Kaspersky recommends using security solutions equipped with AI-based phishing detection tools to help mitigate risks regardless of whether users are engaging in mundane or elaborate holiday planning.

Interestingly, the survey highlights another facet of AI's expanding role: as a virtual companion. About 24% of the South African respondents prefer the emotional support that AI can offer during the holiday season.

This trend is especially notable among younger generations, indicating a shift towards digital interactions for emotional wellbeing.

Vladislav Tushkanov, Group Manager at Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center, shares insight into the evolution of AI tools: “As LLM models rapidly evolve, their potential for engaging in meaningful dialogue with users grows as well. It's important, however, to approach AI suggestions with skepticism and to maintain privacy." Tushkanov advises treating AI interactions like public posts—avoiding the sharing of personal and sensitive information.

Before engaging with any AI tool, Kaspersky urges users to familiarise themselves with privacy policies, opt-out options for data collection, and to choose services from reputable providers.

As the holiday season approaches, ensuring personal data security amidst the embrace of AI will be crucial for South Africans looking to reap the full benefits of this technology.

BUSINESS REPORT