Gen Z Drives AI-Powered Social Commerce Boom, Says Salesforce Report

Gen Z is revolutionizing the future of retail by merging artificial intelligence with social media, according to the latest Connected Shoppers Report from Salesforce. The report reveals that 39% of Gen Z consumers have made purchases through social media, and a striking 76% have discovered products via these platforms, signaling a dramatic shift in how the youngest adult generation shops.

Why This Matters

Gen Z — born between the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2010s — is projected to wield $9 trillion in global spending power by 2034, making them the most influential consumer group. Retailers aiming to secure their share of this massive market must embrace AI-driven, integrated commerce strategies that reflect how Gen Z discovers and buys products: through a fragmented ecosystem of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Key Findings from the Report

• 53% of all shoppers now find products through social media, up from 46% in 2023.

• Gen Z leads the trend, with 76% using social media for product discovery.

• YouTube remains the top platform overall, while TikTok dominates among Gen Z, attracting 40% of younger users, compared to only 4% of Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964).

• AI is transforming how Gen Z shops:

  • 54% of Gen Z consumers have used generative AI to discover or evaluate a product, versus 39% of the general population.

  • Gen Z is 10x more likely than Baby Boomers to frequently use AI for product discovery.

  • 63% of Gen Z want product recommendations from AI agents, compared to only 23% of Baby Boomers.

  The Role of AI and Unified Commerce

  Michelle Grant, Director of Retail Strategy and Insights at Salesforce, emphasized the significance of this digital shift:

  “Social commerce is the latest channel for digital spending that is fragmenting across a constellation of marketplaces, retailer websites, brand sites, and delivery apps. Brands that fully embrace its potential will be in prime position to capture their share of the growing Gen Z market.”

  To meet these evolving demands, Salesforce’s unified platform enables brands to manage complex, multi-channel shopping experiences. Powered by solutions like Agentforce (digital labor), Data Cloud, and Commerce Cloud, the Salesforce Platform supports context-aware, scalable engagement across platforms. Retailers can leverage this technology to target Gen Z, personalize experiences, and optimize marketing strategies across social channels.

  “The deeply unified Salesforce Platform empowers businesses to engage customers across every touchpoint, from TikTok to YouTube,” Grant said. “With 24/7 digital labor through Agentforce, companies can manage these omni-channel journeys at scale — without significantly increasing headcount.”