There’s always that one person you don’t know what to get during the holidays.
Whether you landed a stranger for secret Santa, have no idea what the best friend you have zero pictures with is into –– or you just ran out of ideas –– a question mark in the holiday shopping list shouldn’t necessitate a default candle or a gift card.
But if not a trip to the pharmacy or Yankee Candle, then what? Although it might be easy to find a neutral party you can consult for hypothetical or non-hypothetical gift-giving ideas, this probably isn’t the case at 3 a.m. That’s when everyone’s favorite night owl steps in: ChatGPT.
ChatGPT offers a pretty helpful list if you ask “What are some good gift ideas?” With ten different options bearing three examples each, it’s a quick universal guide to any gift-giving encounter you might face.
Then, I discovered the ultimate gift quiz available on ChatGPT.
Actually, I discovered it when looking for my long-distance girlfriend’s birthday gift.
Her birthday inconveniently falls about a week before Thanksgiving. Since I wouldn’t be back home for at least another week, what initially seemed like an obstacle granted me a beautiful extension to think, shop or even make something by hand. However, disaster struck, and I suddenly had a spontaneous flight home that conveniently landed on her birthday. My plans for a shopping odyssey came to an end, granting me only three days to look for the best Amazon had to offer.
After a gift-buying quiz failed me, I knew I had to rely on ChatGPT. Instead of asking it questions, though, I had it ask me questions through the following template:
“Can you ask me a series of questions that will help you help me decide what to get (relation to person) for (pronoun) (birthday or holiday)? I would like to spend no more than (amount) dollars, but I’m somewhat flexible. I’d like to avoid (something you want to avoid).”
I expected logistical questions, including clothes sizes, allergies or location. I also only expected a few questions at most, so I was pleasantly surprised when it gave me what was essentially an open-ended questionnaire for my specific inquiry:
- What are some of her hobbies and interests?
- Does she have any specific hobbies or activities she’s passionate about?
- Is there something she has mentioned wanting or needing recently?
- Does she have any favorite movies, books, or TV shows?
- Does she have any favorite colors or styles when it comes to clothing or accessories?
- Is there a particular type of cuisine or restaurant she enjoys?
- Does she wear jewelry? If so, what types of jewelry does she prefer?
- Is there anything you both enjoy doing together, like a shared hobby or activity?
- Does she have any upcoming trips or special occasions that might require a specific item?
Almost 200 words later, I had a list of eight potential gift ideas with three specific item suggestions each, all tailored to the responses I provided. My next dilemma was a positive one: choosing between them.
Was it successful? Extremely. Although I didn’t purchase one of the specific suggestions, I wouldn’t have thought to look for a Studio Ghibli blanket were it not for the list. Had ChatGPT existed earlier, I would have gifted fewer gift cards.
ChatGPT might help you more with hard-to-get gifts than your cover letters. Instead of stressing at the mall, don’t discount consulting your free 24/7 guide: good ol’ ChatGPT.
Micah Sandy is a Medill sophomore. He can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
