(NewsUSA) - Santa has elves. You have ChatGPT. But is your new chatbot on the naughty or nice list? Before putting artificial intelligence in charge of your gift list, shoppers should understand when AI is actually helping and when it may be stealing some of their holiday joy. 

VML’s Future Shopper report found that the majority of consumers have already tried using AI for shopping, while more than half worldwide plan to check AI for product recommendations this holiday season. 

For those who rely on AI assistants like Muse, Claude, or Alexa as shopping companions, Colleen Kirk, D.P.S., professor of marketing and management at New York Institute of Technology, recommends using these tools thoughtfully when searching for gift ideas or making purchases.

Today’s chatbots have very human-sounding responses, creating the feeling of shopping with a trusted friend. “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. 

Kirk, who has researched psychological ownership (feeling a deep personal sense of possession to a product or brand) as well as emotional responses to AI writing, cautions that naming a chatbot further increases feelings of trust and connection which may make shoppers more susceptible to the chatbot’s recommendations.

If an AI chatbot supplies gift ideas before shoppers have thought about the gift recipient themselves, shoppers may lose feelings of ownership and miss an enjoyable part of the process. 

Instead, Kirk encourages consumers to brainstorm their own gift ideas first—then check with AI using specific criteria, like blue wool scarves under $100. Shoppers can also ask their chatbot to suggest ideas they may have missed or poke holes in their choices before making the final gift selection themselves.

Touch, such as handling an item at the store, may also add to the joyful experience of holiday gift giving by enhancing feelings of ownership. When shopping with AI agents, personally adding a gift to the cart and completing the purchase can preserve a sense of ownership. Kirk recommends adding a personal touch, such as a handwritten message or wrapping presents thoughtfully to potentially increase gift-giving joy.

Kirk suggests using AI to buy everyday purchases, like shopping for grocery necessities, may free up time for more enjoyable holiday activities. AI assistants are also helpful for gift suggestions for acquaintances, like an office Secret Santa, while leaving gift ideas for close friends and family to the human shopper. 

Kirk is one of many New York Tech faculty members lending their expertise to help tackle real-world challenges. Visit nyit.edu to learn more.