Holiday shoppers increasingly rely on artificial intelligence chatbots for gift ideas and purchases, but a marketing professor warns that overreliance on AI could diminish the joy of gift-giving. According to VML’s Future Shopper report, the majority of consumers have already tried using AI for shopping, and more than half worldwide plan to check AI for product recommendations this holiday season.
Colleen Kirk, D.P.S., professor of marketing and management at New York Institute of Technology, cautions that AI chatbots’ human-sounding responses can create a false sense of trust. “With voices that mimic human inflections, tone, and emotional cadence, it's easy to forget that when you talk or text with your chatbot, you're not conversing with a human,” Kirk says. She notes that naming a chatbot further increases feelings of trust and connection, potentially making shoppers more susceptible to its recommendations.
Kirk, who has researched psychological ownership and emotional responses to AI writing, recommends that consumers brainstorm their own gift ideas before consulting AI. If an AI chatbot supplies gift ideas before shoppers have thought about the gift recipient, shoppers may lose feelings of ownership and miss an enjoyable part of the process. Instead, she suggests using AI to check specific criteria, such as blue wool scarves under $100, or to suggest ideas they may have missed or poke holes in their choices before making the final selection themselves.
Physical experiences may also enhance ownership and joy. Handling an item at the store can add to the experience, and when shopping with AI agents, personally adding a gift to the cart and completing the purchase can preserve a sense of ownership. Adding a personal touch like a handwritten message or thoughtful wrapping can further increase gift-giving joy.
For everyday purchases like groceries, AI can free up time for more enjoyable holiday activities. Kirk also suggests using AI for gift suggestions for acquaintances, such as an office Secret Santa, while leaving gifts for close friends and family to human shoppers.
The takeaway for consumers is that AI can be a helpful tool, but it should not replace the thoughtful, human elements of gift-giving. As holiday shopping season ramps up, understanding when AI helps and when it may detract from the experience could make the difference between a stressful chore and a joyful tradition.
