New Sinch survey reveals trust, not just technology, will influence which brands break through this holiday season

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch AB (publ) (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Customer Communications Cloud, today released new global research ahead of the 2025 Black Friday and Cyber Monday season. The research reveals a clear paradox that brands cannot afford to ignore. While 48% of consumers say AI will make Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BF/CM) shopping easier, over 90% have reservations about using AI during peak shopping, citing concerns such as data use or privacy.

Consumers are increasingly embracing AI to improve and simplify their shopping journey, but with conditions. As adoption grows, so do expectations. Shoppers want the benefits of AI, but they also expect more visibility into how it's used, greater control over their data, and communications that feel personal and relevant.

"Consumers want help, not hype," said Sophie Cheng, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at Sinch. "They still want the benefits of AI, but they expect brands to prove it's working in their interest. If your AI feels invasive or unverified, you won't convert. Trust is the conversion engine this BF/CM. The brands that win will prove their communications are secure, relevant, and authentic."

Sinch surveyed consumers across seven global markets to understand their views on AI and holiday shopping. The data shows shifting expectations:

48% say AI will simplify their BF/CM shopping
53% want AI-powered order tracking, while 38% are open to chatbot-based customer support
Personalization and brand trust are under pressure with a 43% YoY increase in consumers mentioning personalized messages feel invasive

Findings from Sinch's State of Customer Communications 2025 report reinforce that trust is the new differentiator:

Only 32% feel comfortable sharing personal preferences with an AI assistant
53% of consumers report receiving legitimate brand messages they initially thought were spam
79% say they trust messages more when verified with brand logos or sender IDs
72% find AI-powered recommendations helpful, but only when delivered in the right context and channel

Together, these insights point to a rising demand for verified, value-driven communication. Consumers are not rejecting personalization or AI, they're rejecting communication that feels disconnected, generic, or unclear. They are looking for meaningful interactions and valuable insights, not just a lot of repeated or overwhelming information.

What this means for brands heading into BF/CM 2025

Frictionless commerce is no longer enough. To earn attention and loyalty during the 2025 peak shopping season, brands must deliver secure, transparent experiences that put trust first.

Sinch enables this shift through privacy-first, scalable communications infrastructure trusted by global enterprises. On Black Friday 2024, Sinch delivered over 800 million SMS messages, a 23% increase from 2023, with 99.99% uptime and enterprise-grade encryption.

With tools for verified messaging, rich customer journeys, and secure AI interactions, Sinch helps brands close the trust gap at scale.

This BF/CM, the difference between being ignored or engaged, could come down to one thing: trust.

To read the full 2025 BF/CM Consumer Report and explore how Sinch can help support you with smarter holiday campaigns, visit www.sinch.com.

For more information please contact:
Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & Communications
janet.lennon@sinch.com | 1.206.914.6175

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

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