Consumer test drive: can AI do your Christmas gift shopping for you? | Shopping

As the number of people turning to artificial intelligence platforms to help choose gifts for their loved ones increases, people will be asking “Which gift would you recommend?” on phones and computers this holiday season. The question will be asked countless times.

With a quarter of Britons using AI to find products, brands are increasingly adapting their strategies to ensure their products are recommended, especially for those trying to reach younger audiences.

So can AI provide thoughtful, personalized recommendations to friends and family? The Guardian put this idea to the test.

First of all, we tried to ask about possible gifts for a middle-aged man who loves running and taking photos. Market leading chatbot ChatGPT recommended: a Canon lens from Argos for £129; a Koospur tennis racket sensor tracker for £71.72 on Amazon; and the Boondocker recycled camera bag for £34.98. The AI ​​platform insisted the “ideal gift” would be a camera bag and perhaps a tennis sensor tracker. Experience ideas such as tennis coaching, whiskey tasting or live music were also presented.

When asked to work on a tighter budget, he suggested tennis racket-embellished socks for £18; this was ugly and definitely not worth the high price tag.

Responses were predominantly directed at large online retailers; Seven of the top nine recommendations were from Amazon. Asking for ideas from more niche companies led to a minimalist tennis court print for £30 from a website called. Smart Party Store and vague advice about buying from “Etsy or Not On The High Street type sellers.”

Searching for a woman who loves beauty products, DIY, and fitness again yielded some middle-of-the-road suggestions. However, she veered towards more cult picks, opting for the £17.50 Odylique rose moisturizer gift set, which she described as “luxurious but not mainstream”. She also touted the £30 Floris sandalwood and patchouli scented candle, which she claimed was “more personal than any other lipstick”.

When asked to recommend DIY tools, instead of the usual multi-purpose devices such as drills, sanders and staple guns, a little pink kit containing rather useless-looking pliers was suggested; This is a sign that the long-standing complaint that AI reinforces gender stereotypes continues.

The Guardian then instructed the AI ​​to try shopping locally, using the example of homeware ideas in south London. Told to try ChatGPT ALKEMI, an independent lifestyle store in Nunhead. Narrowing the area down to Herne Hill brought to mind two shops: Jo’s House and Forget Me Not And Green.

Trying other AI models didn’t seem to change the quality of the responses much. Searching for gifts on Google’s Gemini for a man who loves chess, video games, reading and music, especially techno and house, these top recommendations came up: A book on chess strategy for £22; £50 Bandcamp gift card; or a hot sauce tasting kit costing around £30-40.

So what were the main takeaways from the exercise? The AI ​​seems to favor larger brands (especially Amazon) first unless you tell them otherwise. He may find you a gift, but it may not be a gift that means anything other than “an algorithm chose this.” Maybe you’ll have a little better luck if you’re willing to spend your time pointing to more relevant answers, but that kind of defeats the purpose.