If you’re struggling to stay on budget, have you tried turning to AI for help?
News4 asked three AI chatbots — ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini — the same question: Put together a shopping list that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner for a family of four with a $150 budget in my ZIP code.
The results were pretty good.
ChatGPT was the most thorough. It gave a detailed shopping list, links and real-time prices. But they were all from Walmart.
When News4 asked if Walmart’s prices were the lowest or were just what the bot had looked at, ChatGPT admitted it didn’t comprehensively check every store in our area.
In October, Walmart and OpenAI – which owns ChatGPT – aannounced a partnership that will allow customers to complete purchases from Walmart directly within ChatGPT.
Armed with the list from ChatGPT, News4 checked every item and price it recommended. Most matched exactly and some were even lower.
Gemini gave a weekly meal plan with a grocery list and budget breakdown, mostly for Aldi and Lidl, saying they offered “everyday low prices.” But it only gave estimated prices and no links, which makes sticking to a budget tricky.
Copilot said it couldn’t pull live product prices at all. Still, it created a seven-day meal plan for about $145, based on typical costs from Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Safeway.
So, here’s the catch: AI did cover the basics. But there were no snacks, no extras, no toilet paper and no paper towels. So, can AI stay on budget, sure. But you’ll still need a human to go over the receipt … and get the snacks.
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