Wildfire Systems, an innovative financial technology platform that powers loyalty and reward programs and shopping companions,announced that Bold.org is the first debit card issuer to leverage Wildfire to deliver rewards for purchases made on major AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. As a result, students using the Bold Debit Card can now earn Bold Points on eligible AI-assisted purchases, which can be used to reduce student loan balances, contribute to educational advancement and improve overall financial wellness.

Today, more shopping than ever is starting with an AI chatbot than in the search bar. According to a recent study from User Testing, one in three Americans plan to use AI tools for holiday shopping, rising to 57% among Gen Z shoppers. Wildfire's consumer trends report, "The AI Shopping Shift," echoed this sentiment: of the respondents who reported using AI tools, 44% of Gen Z consumers said they use AI "Almost Always" or "Often" for online shopping.

As younger consumers move from search to AI conversations as their starting point for shopping online, this creates a new "top of funnel" for commerce - one that traditional rewards and loyalty systems weren't built to capture. Bold is meeting its audience exactly where they are, ensuring that students don't miss out on earnings as their shopping behavior shifts to AI-driven experiences.

"Bold is redefining what it means to reward shopping in the age of AI," said Jordan Glazier, CEO of Wildfire Systems. "As commerce moves from search to conversation, Wildfire makes it possible for partners to seamlessly capture and reward those moments of intent—whether through cashback, points, or in Bold's case, helping students take meaningful steps towards reducing the burden of student loan debt."

The partnership with Bold showcases the flexibility of Wildfire's platform to power creative, mission-aligned rewards programs. Whether the goal is to reward users with cashback, points, or other proprietary currencies such as education-linked rewards that drive social impact, Wildfire enables clients to reward their customers in the ways that matter most.

"Our mission is to help students succeed financially and academically," said Dror Liebenthal, CEO of Bold.org. "As shopping behavior shifts toward AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini, we want to make sure our Bold.org members continue to benefit. Now, every AI-assisted purchase can help pay down student loans, transforming innovation into impact."