From darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov Wed Dec 3 08:18:35 2025 From: darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov (HANNING Darci * SLO) Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2025 16:18:35 +0000 Subject: [techtalk] AI - Holiday Shopping Made Easier with AI In-Reply-To: <1142288447431.1100778316270.1024428825.0.821544JL.2002@synd.ccsend.com> References: <1142288447431.1100778316270.1024428825.0.821544JL.2002@synd.ccsend.com> Message-ID: Welcome to the latest issue of Tech-Talk! Reminder: When accessing resources at the Tech-Talk website, use ORLIBTECH for both the username and password when prompted. Tech-Talk is a paid subscription service for staff of Oregon libraries and is supported in whole by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), administered by the State Library of Oregon. [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/34916cb2-412f-43fa-8294-1f7ecb0e9a3d.png?rdr=true] [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/e5c261e4-debc-4e90-a5ac-2ee6db868bcd.png?rdr=true] Photo by Filip Mishevski on Unsplash [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/e25f6bcf-26a8-4e59-91f2-cc248962042d.png?rdr=true] Webinars for You NOTE: Webinars begin at 3 pm ET / 2 pm CT / 1 pm MT / 12 Noon PT and are one hour long. December 3: [EXCEL] Spreadsheet Storytelling: Interactive Features You Need. Why Attend: You want tips on bringing out your messages. December 17: [GRAPHICS] GIF Animations for Images, Websites and Social Media. Why Attend? You want your graphics to grab attention. January 14: [CYBERSECURITY] Say Goodbye to Password Hassles with Passkeys! Why Attend? You want safer logins for your online accounts. January 28: [COMMUNICATION] OurStoryBridge: Connecting the Past and Present! Why Attend? You want to capture people?s stories in your community, knowing that online, brief oral histories are the way to do it in the 21st century. View Webinars and Register Here AI - Holiday Shopping Made Easier with ChatGPT Intermediate [Glowing blue microchip with AI in the center surrounded by radiating circuit lines on a dark background symbolizing artificial intelligence technology and digital connectivity.] Christmas shopping can be tough. You know that moment?when you stare at your list and think: What on earth do I get them this year? Trying to figure out the perfect present is challenging. Between work, family, and everything else, holiday shopping can feel like a full-time job. But this year, you?ve got a new helper: Artificial Intelligence (AI). ChatGPT is a leader in generative AI. This tool can help brainstorm ideas, design custom keepsakes, and even help you write the perfect card. ?Here are seven ways to use AI to make your holiday shopping easier?and your gifts unforgettable. 1. Gift Matchmaker Maybe you have to buy a present for someone who has everything. What do you do? Skip scrolling and just tell AI who you?re shopping for. ChatGPT can think outside your usual buying habits?it finds gifts you?d never consider. Example prompt: I am shopping for a 10 year-old who likes Barbies, music, and the color blue. Give me 10 gift ideas. In seconds, you?ll get creative, tailored ideas! It?s like having your own personal elf who never runs out of suggestions. [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/62ebaa33-53f1-4b08-b353-fbd3b4e6075b.png?rdr=true] [A man stands in a grocery store aisle holding a green box in one hand and an orange box in the other looking at them with a thoughtful comparing expression. Shelves of assorted products line the background.] 2. Shopping Comparison Tool If you know what you want but aren't sure which one to buy, let ChatGPT help you review options. You can use it to find the best deals or compare products. Example prompt: I am shopping for the best Bluetooth headphones for $100. Compare what is available with pros and cons. This will save you hours of research??and maybe a few dollars, too! 3. Holiday Card Helper Not sure what to say beyond Happy Holidays? Ask ChatGPT to write a few short messages in your tone?sweet, funny, or professional. Example prompt: Write three warm but not too sappy messages for holiday cards to coworkers. You?ll get greetings in seconds! Keep prompting until it sounds exactly like you. Wishing you a peaceful holiday season and a fresh start full of good things in the new year. It?s a pleasure working with you. Hope you enjoy some well-earned rest, good food, and time with the people you care about. Looking forward to what we?ll accomplish together next year. Sending warm holiday wishes your way... thank you for being such a steady, positive presence on the team. Here?s to a bright and productive new year. 4. Personal Story Gifts Turn your favorite memories with someone into a storybook. Ask ChatGPT to write a short story. Make your friend or family members the main character. You can add in pets, favorite snacks, or a funny catchphrase. Example prompt: Create a short story about going to the beach with my family. Make it funny and tell about my daughter Sam getting knocked over by the waves. Include me as Mom and Dad. Have Sam say something funny once she gets up. [A screenshot of a short story titled Funny Beach Story Sam vs. The Sea. The story describes a familys beach day and a childs adventure pretending to fight a wave as a superhero with playful and lively narration.] If you aren?t artistic, you can also use ChatGPT to add pictures to illustrate your story. Print it like a picture book or any other style you want. It can be heartwarming or hilarious! 5. Gift Reveal Riddles Are you participating in a secret present exchange? Or maybe you want to turn your gift giving into a guessing game. Use ChatGPT to create clues about: who is the giver or what?s behind the wrapping paper. Example prompt: Write a riddle for a gift that is a warm cozy blanket. Tape the riddle to the gift. It makes it more creative than just giving it. I?m soft as a whisper and warm as a hug... I hide on the couch or the bed like a snug little bug... When winter winds blow and you start to shake... Open your gift and find me ? your own cozy ____! [A red wooden house with a porch first shown as a photo then as a colorful impressionist painting in the style of Claude Monet with soft brush strokes and vibrant blended colors.] 6. AI Designed Keepsakes Use AI tools to make custom art or gifts. Jazz up your holiday card by using ChatGPT to add snow to your family picture that you took in June. Or you can take a photograph of your friend's favorite vacation spot and have ChatGPT turn it into a watercolor painting. Example prompt: Take the uploaded photo and change it into a painting in the style of Claude Monet. TIP: When using ChatGPT art tools, include style words like watercolor, cartoon, or photorealistic to get better results. 7. Create a Song Have AI help you write an original song. An AI website like Song.do allows you to make lyrics and melodies from a text prompt. The songs can be in any style you choose. It?s a memorable, one-of-a-kind surprise. Example prompt: Christmas gift about Dad, using Dad Jokes, pop style. Download your finished song and send it as a link or use a QR Code to gift it with a physical item. It?s perfect for anyone who wants to add a personal touch?even if you can?t carry a tune! CAUTION: Always review before you share with AI content. It can make mistakes or even seem to hallucinate. Read what it says, correct any details, and ensure it is accurate. This holiday season, let ChatGPT take the stress?and leave you the sparkle. Together, you can buy or create gifts that are heartfelt and a little bit magical. [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/e565d7d1-215e-487a-8e78-f332113e7825.jpg?rdr=true] Communications: Power Word #2 ?What is one thing??? Here's another powerful phrase that will significantly affect the effectiveness of your communicating. Give it a try so that you can see for yourself. Have you ever asked a team, a colleague, or a family member to come up with an idea? Often, it?s like pulling teeth to get people to speak up with their thoughts. [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/bd143ef4-9e04-45ba-b4dc-7b3423b842b9.png?rdr=true] For instance, you may say? ? What can we do to cut costs? ? What ideas do you have for making this program better? ? Do you have a suggestion for ___________? Here?s a better way to ask ? that is guaranteed to get great answers. ? What is one thing we can do to cut costs? ? What is one idea you can offer for making this program better? ? What is one suggestion for __________? Why does this work? Because everyone can come up with one thing. Caution: Don?t say, ?What is the best thing, or your favorite thing to do?? You want to minimize the request by just lightly asking for one thing. So when you get blank stares or ?I can?t think of anything,? say gently, ?OK, what is one thing you can suggest?? [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/0091e766-eacd-41a9-87a5-f6588196ba86.png?rdr=true] www.Tech-Talk.com When was the last time you visited the Tech-Talk online resource? It has all kinds of fun ways to solve issues, discover new ideas, and hone your skills! [https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/207827a7-4ca9-4076-97ff-fa3c1919ea4f.png?rdr=true] ?We're here to help! Tell us what you are unclear about ... a new technique you'd like to learn ... or some fun tool you've heard about. Use this form! Copyright 1996-2025 Shared Results International. Published weekly. Distribution is limited by license. For information on how to include additional recipients, contact support at tech-talk.com 585-615-7795. Cheers, Darci Hanning, MLIS (she/her/hers) Public Library Consultant / CE Coordinator Continuing Education Resources: https://slo.oregon.gov/conted/ State Library of Oregon | Library Support and Development Services 971-375-3491 | darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov | www.oregon.gov/library [State Library of Oregon (Logo)] ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 15548 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: