‘Tis the season: Aussies rack up over half a million hours in holiday season prep, says Microsoft
New Microsoft AI Holiday Hacks Report reveals nearly half (47%) of Australians are open to using AI to save time and make the season brighter
This may be the most wonderful time of the year, but for many Aussies, it’s also the busiest. New research* from Microsoft reveals Australians spend an average of 27 hours on holiday tasks, including travel planning, gift shopping, and event organisation – adding up to a huge 540 million hours nationwide.
The Microsoft AI Holiday Hacks Report also uncovered that 77% of Australians find aspects of the holiday season stressful, with the top stressors being choosing the right gifts (36%), staying on budget (36%), and shopping for food, decorations, or presents (33%).
The report revealed that holiday planning isn’t everyone’s cup of eggnog, with fewer than half (45%) of Aussies attempting to plan their holiday festivities well in advance to avoid the last-minute gift-buying rush. Although 58% say they’d rather do almost anything than hit the shops on Christmas Eve, including taking an ice bath (20%), assembling IKEA furniture without instructions (20%) and listening to an uncle explain cryptocurrency over Christmas lunch (15%). Choosing gifts ranks as one of the hardest holiday tasks, with 72% of respondents struggling to find presents for at least one person on their list.
With the chaos of Christmas approaching, the report found that nearly half (47%) of Aussies are open to using AI to streamline holiday tasks, including choosing gifts (19%), meal planning and cooking (16%), travel planning (16%) and finding unique holiday recipes (16%).
Microsoft’s Copilot AI feature is designed to help ease the holiday burden. From generating personalised gift ideas to creating efficient travel itineraries and even optimising dinner parties, Copilot can give back precious hours during the busiest season.
Windows Category Lead for ANZ at Microsoft, Dan Johnson, said,
This time of year can be hectic. With Microsoft Copilot, we want to help Australians reclaim their time, whether it’s through smart scheduling, recipe ideas, or even travel coordination. Think of it as your personal assistant, ready to tackle the little tasks so you can enjoy more of what matters this season. – Dan Johnson, Microsoft 365 and Windows Category Lead for Microsoft ANZ
With time saved using AI, nearly two in five Aussies (37%) said they would spend it on quality family time, while another 37% would catch up on sleep. Gen Z respondents, in particular, are keen to maximise their downtime, with 53% saying they’d use the extra hours to rest and recharge.
This holiday season, Microsoft Copilot+ PCs could be the perfect gift for those looking to combine cutting-edge technology with time-saving convenience. With the power of AI at their side, Aussies can light up the season and make life a whole lot easier.
*Research: Conducted by YouGov with a nationally representative sample of 1,119 Australians aged 18+ between 21–25 November 2024. Data weighted by age, gender, and region to reflect the latest ABS estimates.
