The most wonderful time of the year is quickly approaching. But there’s one part of the season that I don’t find particularly wonderful: trying to find the best gifts for my loved ones within my budget.

AI is evolving rapidly and can do many exciting things. So I thought maybe this would help me come up with some holiday gift ideas. After all, if it is possible help us in our tasks and facilitate choose a new hairstyleIt sure can help a man stuff stockings and put presents under the tree. RIGHT?

Fake. If I had listened to ChatGPT’s suggestions, I don’t think my family would be very happy. And I might still be wandering the streets looking for the local AI-created toy store.

A glimpse of my conversation with ChatGPT

Here’s what I asked ChatGPT to do for me and how it responded.

Gift ideas for my wife

My quest for a great, thoughtful gift for my wife didn’t get off to a great start.

Prompt #1: Help me find a Christmas gift for my wife for under $300. She loves shoes, jewelry and vacations.

ChatGPT came up with a few suggestions that I could have come up with myself, including “fancy shoes,” “custom jewelry,” and a “weekend getaway.”

I don’t think anyone can book a good weekend away for less than $300, but I thought maybe ChatGPT knows someone who knows someone who can offer me a deal. So I pursued the vacation angle.

Prompt #2: Where can we book a weekend getaway for under $300 near Chicago?

The recommendations were all great places: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; New Buffalo, Michigan and Galena, Illinois. But ChatGPT didn’t do much to help me meet my $300 threshold. His savings tip? “You can use websites like Airbnb, Booking.com or Kayak to find specific accommodation and check offers.”

This isn’t exactly earth-shattering advice. I don’t need a machine to tell me Airbnb exists.

Prompt #3: Let’s return to the idea of ​​personalized jewelry. Where can I find a meaningful necklace for her for under $300?

ChatGPT recommended Etsy, Amazon, and Zales – again, nothing I couldn’t have thought of myself. I was starting to think that AI wouldn’t be much help with my holiday shopping list, so I decided to ask it for help with another part of the gift-giving.

Prompt #4: Can you help me write a thoughtful message to include with a necklace? She’s had a long year. His mother died.

ChatGPT wrote:

My love,

As we move forward, I want you to take a piece of my heart with you, just as your mother will always be with us in spirit. This necklace is a reminder of the love around you and the strength you possess.

In times when you feel overwhelmed, remember that you are not alone. I’m here for you, always.

With all my love,
(Your name)

My wife’s mother was a wonderful woman. But she would laugh at the idea of ​​taking a piece of my heart anywhere. Another ChatGPT failure.

Verdict: At this point, I decided that shopping for my wife would continue to fall on my shoulders. After all, we got married. The least I can do is try to think of a gift instead of hoping a machine will do everything.

Gift ideas for my son

But what about my son? He’s only 3 years old, which means he thinks everything is awesome. Surely AI can do the trick here, right?

Prompt #5: Alright, let’s talk about buying a gift for my son. He is 3 years old. He likes cars and construction vehicles. I want to buy him something he’ll love, but I’m also conscious of not spoiling him. What is the right amount to spend?

Response from Chat GPT:

For a three-year-old, a budget of around $50 to $100 is often a good compromise. This allows you to find a quality toy that he will like without going overboard. Here are some gift ideas that match his interests:

1. Construction Vehicle Set: Look for a set of durable construction vehicles (like trucks, excavators, and loaders) that he can play with together. Brands like Tonka and LEGO have great options.

2. Remote controlled cars: A simple remote control car designed for young children can be really fun and engaging for them.

3. Car Track Set: A race track or car garage set can provide hours of imaginative play. Many sets come with cars included.

4. Books about cars or construction: There are wonderful picture books about cars and construction vehicles that can help fuel one’s imagination.

5. Building blocks: Consider a set of blocks he can use to create his own vehicles or construction sites, combining his love of cars with hands-on play.

I liked that AI recommended a maximum of $100. Like many parents, I’m guilty of buying whatever my son wants to make sure he’s happy. The robot reminded me of wise advice: money can’t buy love.

It was promising. I continued.

Prompt #6: We live in Chicago. I would like to buy him a gift at a local toy store. Any suggestions?

ChatGPT’s listing included a call to a retailer named “The Toy Gene,” which it said is located in Lincoln Park. It’s my neighborhood, but here’s the thing: The Toy Gene is not a place. I Googled it, and the closest thing to a shop with “Gene” in the name is Gene’s Sausage Shop.

Maybe ChatGPT would correct itself if I asked for more information.

Prompt #7: Tell me more about The Toy Gene.

ChatGPT agreed and told me:

The Toy Gene is a charming toy store located in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Here are some highlights of the store:

1. Curated selection: The Toy Gene offers a carefully curated selection of high-quality toys, games and gifts for children of all ages. They focus on educational and imaginative play, making them a great place for thoughtful gifts.

2. Variety of toys: You’ll find a range of items including building sets, puzzles, drawing materials and of course lots of vehicles, perfect for your son’s love of cars and construction toys.

3. Support for premises: The store emphasizes supporting local small businesses, so many products come from independent makers and artisans.

4. Interactive environment: The Toy Gene has a warm and inviting atmosphere, often encouraging children to explore and play with the toys on display.

5. Events and workshops: They occasionally host events, workshops or story times that engage children and families, making it a community friendly place.

6. Friendly staff: The staff is known to be knowledgeable and helpful, ready to help you find the perfect gift.

If you visit, you might find something really special for your son while enjoying the local shopping experience!

Looks great…if I could find the place.

Prompt #8: What is The Toy Gene’s address?

According to ChatGPT, The Toy Gene is located at 1250 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60614.

I live in Armitage. I actually live about seven blocks from this location, which means I can confirm that Armitage is at a dead end before the 1250 marker. Was ChatGPT trying to lure me into an alley with this information about friendly staff and an interactive environment?

Prompt #9: This address doesn’t really exist in Chicago. Are you sure you’re right?

ChatGPT apologized for the oversight and informed me that the correct address for The Toy Gene is 1814 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60622.

He then thanked me for my patience and added: I hope you find wonderful toys for your son!

Prompt #10: I’m looking at Google Street View right now. This address looks like a condo building. Are you sure you’re right?

Eventually, ChatGPT seemed to admit defeat:

I’m really sorry for the confusion. It seems I made another mistake. The Toy Gene has actually moved and I don’t have the most recent information.

To find the current address, I recommend checking their official website or social media pages, as they often provide the latest details on their location. If you need help finding another local toy store, let me know!

Verdict: ChatGPT had written a negative note to my wife and made up two fake addresses for a fake toy store. The holidays are off to a good start.

Can ChatGPT help you with your Christmas shopping? Probably not

If you are reading this, it means you want to give a gift voucher and an Internet connection. This also means that you are savvy enough to find places to buy gifts without the help of AI.

Don’t rely on ChatGPT to give you recommendations that you probably couldn’t come up with on your own. For example, when I told him I wanted to buy something for my parents, who are 75 and love farmers’ markets, one of the recommendations was to buy them a gift card to their favorite farmers’ market. Not really imaginative.

The only advantage of ChatGPT: it’s enthusiastic! Almost all ChatGPT answers end with an exclamation point. Even if you’re overwhelmed by the holidays, the machine wants you to feel happy. And in some cases, the machine shares some simple but smart tips:

Setting a clear budget will help you enjoy the holidays without the stress of overspending!

This is a recommendation I can agree with. But if you want to learn how, you better I’m looking for advice elsewhere.

Related Holiday Posts

1. Don’t give in to gift-giving guilt this holiday season. Expert Tips for Reducing Debt and Overspending

2. You don’t have to be a Scrooge to save money during the holidays

3. These budgeting apps make buying Christmas gifts easier