Still searching for the perfect gift this holiday season? You’re not alone; 51% of shoppers wait until Christmas Eve to buy their gifts according to people.com. You may not also be surprised to hear that nearly a third of shoppers feel they never find the right gift to begin with.
Luckily, it’s 2024. Today technology solves the worlds ailments, cures diseases, sends humans to space, and, of course, finds that perfect gift for your loved ones.
Gift recommendation websites and supposedly mind-reading algorithms aren’t a novel invention. In 2013, Gift Suggester joined the App store as one of the early technology alternatives to the helpful friend or sibling. Even before then, ecommerce engines like Uncommon Goods categorized “gifts for mom” and sites like Amazon rolled out “you might also like” functions to ease (and sometimes abet) the gift search.
Last year we reviewed AI gift recommendation engines such as The Santa GPT and Giftr Custom GPT, both were found on the bourgeoning ChatGPT “store.” In 2024, the AI gifting environment matured leaving the entrenched sites, apps, and tools vying for attention as the retail giants stepped into the arena.
Let’s jump into part two of our review of AI Gift Recommendation Engines.
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A key emergence in 2024 was the rise of retail-owned AI recommendation assistants.
Enter Amazon Rufus: an AI-powered shopping assistant. When asked what gifts I should get my sister, it promptly suggested a Coach wallet and Michael Kors watch. Both probably not far from the mark and, perhaps conveniently, not door busting deals. I suggested we explore her interests and Rufus put aside it’s capitalistic intentions to provide thoughtful points to consider along with some suggested prompts to ponder.
Retailer Target took aim at AI gifting through the release of Bullseye Gift Finder. Available on Target’s online properties, Bullseye assists in matchmaking gifts for kids of all ages.
Best Buy also launched an AI-powered Gift Finder available in-app, while Walmart more discreetly embedded “AI Generated” search prompts in its mobile app native search.
It wouldn’t be a proper blog post on AI if we didn’t explore how foundation models threaten existing businesses.
Google Search Labs beefed up its AI abilities in 2024 and the flagship consumer AI from Google, Gemini, provides a conversational gift ideation experience with links direct to products on the Google Shopping platform. Of course, ChatGPT leads users through thought experiments to ideate gift ideas and recommend products with its internet search feature, taking a less profit driven approach (for now).
Lastly, Perplexity announced Shop with Perplexity for Pro users of the platform. Offering up a detailed analysis of products and summaries of reviews. Perplexity even allows users to purchase without leaving the interface, along with free shipping, for its $20 per month subscribers.
As we wrap up our exploration of AI gift recommendations in 2024, one thing becomes clear: the landscape has shifted from novelty AI tools to sophisticated, integrated shopping experiences. Retail giants emerged as active participants, embedding AI capabilities directly into their shopping platforms. While independent gift recommendation engines still have their place, the convenience of AI-powered suggestions within familiar shopping environments may prove too compelling for consumers to ignore.
Looking ahead to 2025, the question isn’t whether AI will help us find the perfect gift, but rather which AI assistant will become our trusted holiday shopping companion. And for those last-minute shoppers still reading this on Christmas Eve – yes, these AI tools work year-round, and they’re probably better than panic-buying a gift card.
About the Author
Trent’s natural curiosity for emerging technology makes him a great addition to FPOV’s Business Development team. As Business Expansion Manager, Trent leverages his passion for pitching new concepts to evangelize the FPOV offerings. Learn more about Trent Saunders.