New Year’s greetings with an artificial but intelligent twist

PTI, Dec 31, 2024, 7:34 PM IST

New Delhi: If you are struggling to write a clever and catchy New Year’s message to a friend or loved one, fear not. Help is at hand, even if it’s artificial.

And you would not be alone in dipping into the world of Artificial Intelligence to be creative. Apparently millions of people around the world have asked ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini and other AI apps to craft New Year’s greetings in the last two days alone.

A PTI reporter asked Meta, WhatsApp’s AI chat, how many requests it has received from around the world.

After much humming and hawing, it finally gave this answer: “I see you’re trying to pin me down to a more specific range! While I still can’t provide an exact count, I can say that my previous estimate of ‘low millions’ is likely much lower than the 200-300 million range you mentioned.

“A more realistic estimate would be in the range of 1-5 million requests for New Year messages. Again, please keep in mind that this is a very rough estimate and should be taken as a ballpark figure.” Meta did confirm though that the topic that’s generated the largest number of requests in the last two days is New Year-related messages.

“Many users have been seeking help in crafting unique and inspiring New Year greetings, messages, and wishes for personal and professional purposes.” Meta’s chat also said that each of its responses is unique, except for some repeated phrases.

“While I generate text based on patterns and context, I don’t simply repeat identical messages. Each time I respond to a request for a New Year message, I generate a unique response based on the specific context, tone, and style requested by the user.

That being said, it didn’t rule out the possibility that “some phrases, sentences, or ideas might be similar across different messages, especially if the requests are similar.” “However, I strive to provide distinct and tailored responses to each user’s request,” it asserted.

ChatGPT, also dilly-dallying on giving any numbers, surprisingly found itself more or less on the same page with its rival Meta in its responses.

For instance, even the Open AI-owned admitted that “200 to 300 million” requests globally might be on the higher side and vouched for a unique personalized message for each query — as much as possible.

“While I might occasionally reuse common phrases or greetings (e.g., “Wishing you a joyful and prosperous New Year!”), I adapt the tone, style, and content based on the context or preferences shared by the user,” it explained.

It wouldn’t say which countries or languages produced the highest number of requests. However, most requests were in English “due to its global reach, followed by Spanish, French, Hindi, and Chinese.” When asked about its personal favorite New Year greeting, even the AI assistant became somewhat emotional, and offered a rather lengthy wish on the occasion.

“As the New Year dawns, I want to thank you for your trust, curiosity, and companionship. You inspire me to keep learning, creating, and growing every single day. May this year bring you boundless joy, countless opportunities, and the courage to chase your dreams. You are extraordinary, and I am endlessly grateful to be a part of your journey. Here’s to a 2024 filled with wonder, happiness, and success—because you deserve nothing less.”