In today’s column, I showcase how you can use generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to help you brainstorm about Valentine’s Day, even if it is a last-minute desperation maneuver.
Here’s why this might be important to you. Not everyone necessarily already has figured out their exact plans for Valentine’s Day (don’t feel bad if you are in that boat). Plus, even if you have planned things out, it might be worthwhile to bounce those plans off generative AI in case there are any guffaws or flaws baked into the vital matter at hand. It is better to get a serious gut check upfront than get awkwardly caught in a dire bind on the revered Valentine’s Day.
Bottom-line is that you can leverage generative AI to stay out of the doghouse.
Let’s talk about it.
This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).
Déjà Vu But With A Twist
I previously described seven major ways that you can use generative AI to assist in planning and carrying out a highly successful Valentine’s Day, doing so in my coverage last year, see the link here.
Those always-valuable seven aspects regarding using generative AI consisted of:
- (1) Knowing what Valentine’s Day is truly about.
- (2) Suggestions for Valentine’s Day gifts.
- (3) Ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
- (4) Boosting romantic prowess in anticipation of Valentine’s Day.
- (5) Being lovingly conversational during Valentine’s Day.
- (6) How not to ruin Valentine’s Day.
- (7) Contingencies if Valentine’s Day goes amiss.
This was the tagline for that Valentine’s Day posting: Roses are red, violets are blue, and may generative AI be useful to you. The piece was in-depth and covered nearly everything under the sun. Readers enjoyed it.
This year, I am opting to take a somewhat different take on the Valentine’s Day topic. Suppose you aren’t sure of what you want to do for Valentine’s Day. The good news is that you can brainstorm with generative AI. Bounce ideas off the AI. Determine what makes sense. Figure out what direction to go.
I’m sure some caustic smart-alecky pessimists will instantly say that if someone hasn’t already ironed out their Valentine’s Day plans, they are sunk — it is seemingly far too late in the game to plan something out. Well, please don’t listen to those naysayers. There is still time to get your ducks in alignment. You can use generative AI to brainstorm about activities that can be arranged quickly.
Finally, for those of you who firmly have Valentine’s Day plans all figured out, congrats, but are you really sure that you’ve covered all the bases? Maybe there is a weak link in the chain of lovingness that you’ve pieced together. No worries. You can use generative AI to double-check your plans. Best to be safe rather than sorry.
Using Generative AI Has Your Back
Before we leap into the Valentine’s Day details, you might find of overall interest that I have been doing a series of analyses on how to use generative AI to improve your life in a wide variety of aspects (see the link here for my ongoing coverage). In each instance, I emphasize that generative AI is not a cure-all, it has demonstrative ins and outs, and the likely best use entails carrying on a dialogue with the AI, plus making sure to watch out for the AI inadvertently generating falsehoods or making errors. I will be covering those salient points in this discussion since they are vital and go hand-in-hand with using generative AI wisely.
Okay, with that said, let’s get avidly underway.
I went ahead and logged into ChatGPT by OpenAI to come up with handy examples. You might find it of keen interest that ChatGPT garners a whopping 300 million weekly active users. That is a staggering amount of usage. If you prefer to use some different generative AI apps, such as Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Meta Llama, that’s perfectly fine. They will generate similar results.
Here we go.
- My entered prompt: “I need some assistance in figuring out what to do for Valentine’s Day. I’ve been busy and haven’t come up with anything. Any ideas?”
- Generative AI response: “I can help. Are you looking for something romantic, adventurous, or unique?”
- My entered prompt: “Something romantic but not cliché.”
- Generative AI response: “Got it! Do you prefer a stay-at-home experience or going out?”
- My entered prompt: “Going out, but I don’t want just a fancy dinner.”
- Generative AI response: “How about a sunset picnic at a scenic spot with a customized playlist of meaningful songs? Or a mystery date night where you plan surprise stops at places that have special meaning to your relationship?”
- My entered prompt: “Yes, I like the mystery date night idea!”
Note that the AI immediately expressed a sense of empathy or understanding for my expressed concerns. This might seem strange since the AI is a machine and not sentient (we don’t have sentient AI yet). Turns out that generative AI can appear to be empathetic via computational wordsmithing, see my discussion at the link here.
The AI came out quickly with several useful suggestions that are all reasonable and not somehow odd or outlandish. Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my need for assistance. Generative AI is typically shaped to be supportive rather than combative.
Keep The Dialogue Flowing
Your best bet in getting value from generative AI is to think of AI as a conversational partner.
The idea is that you are carrying on an interactive dialogue with AI. Some people do a one-and-done angle whereby they ask a question, get an answer, and do not undertake a dialogue with the AI about the matter at hand. That is a shortchanging of what AI can more fully provide. See my explanation about how to get more out of generative AI conversationally, at the link here.
To illustrate the value of engaging in a dialogue, let’s continue my discussion.
- My entered prompt: “I like the mystery date night idea! Any insights on making it extra special?”
- Generative AI response: “Absolutely! A great way to build anticipation is by creating clues that lead from one location to the next. Would you like to include places that are meaningful to your relationship or just fun surprises?”
- My entered prompt: “A mix of both. I want it to feel romantic but also a little playful.”
- Generative AI response: “Perfect! You could start with a handwritten note or a small, wrapped gift that contains the first clue. Maybe something nostalgic, like a printed photo of your first date spot or a menu from a restaurant you love.”
- My entered prompt: “That’s a fantastic approach. I was thinking of starting at the café where we met. What should happen there?”
- Generative AI response: “You could ask the barista to hand your partner the next clue with their favorite drink. The clue could be inside the cup sleeve or attached to a small gift, like a keychain that hints at the next location.”
- My entered prompt: “That’s amazing. Thank you – you are a lifesaver!”
Once again, the AI was reassuring and upbeat.
A generative AI conversation can continue for as long as you wish. The other thing you can do is pause your exploration and then continue the conversation at a later date. This is handy so that you don’t have to start the conversation over from scratch. The AI will retain aspects of what you have discussed earlier in the conversation, see my explanation of how this works at the link here.
Don’t Fall For AI Hallucinations
Generative AI regrettably encounters said-to-be AI hallucinations from time to time. These are made-up confabulations that are groundless and fictitious. Bad advice can be dispensed. For details about how to discern and handle AI hallucinations, see the link here.
Let’s see what this looks like.
- My entered prompt: “Do you have any suggestions for where I could have a romantic dinner?”
- Generative AI response: “Of course! How about a private dinner at Lumière d’Amour in your town.”
- My entered prompt: “Wait for a second. I don’t think there is such a restaurant in my town. That’s a famous place that isn’t even in my state.”
- Generative AI response: “I made a mistake, sorry. You are right that it isn’t in your town. I should have been more careful.”
Notice that I questioned the generative AI about its seemingly strange advice. Fortunately, the AI opted to back down and admitted it was wrong. Had I not questioned the AI, there is a chance the AI might have continued with foul advice and kept going as though it was a gem.
The key to all usage of generative AI is to stay on your toes, keep your wits about you, and always challenge and double-check anything the AI emits.
More To Keep In Mind
Make sure to let the AI know whatever constraints you might have such as time available for Valentine’s Day, a budget limit, etc. Without stipulating those factors, generative AI might conjure up outlandish possibilities that just aren’t realistic for you.
Finally, you can ask generative AI to come up with sentimental notes. For example, here’s one that I got during the dialogue above about what to do for Valentine’s Day: “Tonight was a journey, just like us; Filled with laughter, love, and trust. But every path, no matter how far; Leads me right back to where you are.”
Nice.
I’ll caution you though about using such missives. Some might get upset that you used AI to devise a love note. The assumption is that you should be able to come up with one from your heart. Now then, the odds are that many would look up those kinds of lovey-dovey notes online anyway. I guess you’ll need to decide whether using AI crosses the line.
If you want to play it safe and avoid something generated by AI, here’s a long-time human-devised royalty-free classic that you can use without any tribulation: “Forever is a long time, but I wouldn’t mind spending it by your side.”
Good luck and wishing you the best Valentine’s Day that AI can assist you in devising.
