36% of Singaporeans rely on AI for holiday budgeting, YouGov survey finds

SINGAPORE: Nearly three in four (36%) Singaporeans said they would use artificial intelligence (AI) to manage their holiday budgets, according to a YouGov survey.

The survey, conducted from December 11 to 16, 2025, which gathered responses from 1,064 Singapore respondents, also found that 49% saw potential value in AI-assisted gift lists, while only 6% said they would use the tool for gift buying.

Notably, when asked if they would spend the holidays alone if their usual companions were unavailable, 11% said they would spend it with an AI companion. Of those, 21% were millennials.

Others, however, said they would spend the holidays alone (51%), at a public event (33%), or join an online community (19%), with 15% saying they would do nothing.

While the year-end is generally festive, 28% of Singaporeans do not celebrate any holidays, and only half celebrate Christmas alongside other year-end occasions.

When it comes to buying gifts, 43% said they prefer to buy gifts themselves, while 31% involve their partners, friends or family (27%). Respondents shared that their least liked gifts were re-gifted items and cheap tech gadgets (31% each), mugs (26%), self-help books (25%), and office gift sets (23%).

Singaporeans also dislike holiday traditions like gift exchanges in the workplace (30%) or with extended family (24%).

About 36% said they would skip cleaning up after holiday guests if given the choice, while others said they easily get tired of holiday cooking (18%), socialising (15%), and travelling (13%), with only 33% enjoying all holiday traditions. /TISG

Read also: Singapore’s luxury goods sales slide as wealthy Chinese turn to ‘low-key’ spending on art, wine, and private clubs amid growing scrutiny from authorities

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