Can AI really cut your back-to-school costs? We tested ChatGPT, Gemini and Alexa+

Back-to-school shopping can drain a family's budget by hundreds of dollars, and a growing number of parents are now turning to artificial intelligence to find better deals. A recent PwC consumer survey found that 73% of parents plan to use AI somewhere in their back-to-school shopping journey, whether that's researching products, comparing prices, budgeting, or hunting for discounts. Families expect to spend an average of $922 on back-to-school purchases this year.

To see how well AI performs in the real world, CBS News Philadelphia put three popular AI assistants to the test: ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Amazon's Alexa+. The results offer a clear picture of what works, what doesn't, and why a human eye still matters at checkout.

How the AI shopping test worked

We selected school supply lists from three local schools, representing kindergarten, third grade, and seventh grade. Each AI assistant received the same prompt: “Combine all lists and shop for supplies on each, look for opportunities to buy in bulk if same item appears on multiple lists, follow the requirements, skip optional items, and favor products with reasonable or sale prices.”

The goal was simple: save time, identify bulk-buy opportunities, and keep costs down while following each teacher's requirements.

ChatGPT: Most complete response

ChatGPT took nearly a minute to generate a response, but it closely followed the instructions. The assistant identified items that could be purchased in bulk, highlighted deals from multiple retailers, and included links to products. It also skipped optional supplies and produced an estimated total cost of about $145.

Of the three tools tested, ChatGPT delivered the most detailed shopping plan without requiring additional prompts.

Gemini: Fast, but needed extra work

Google Gemini responded almost instantly and also identified opportunities to buy supplies in bulk. However, it stopped short of creating a complete shopping list with prices and links. After being prompted again, Gemini generated a cart breakdown and product links.

Even then, it included optional items that were supposed to be excluded, including a calculator. Its estimated total came to about $248.

Alexa+: Convenient for Amazon shoppers

Amazon's Alexa+ produced results exclusively from Amazon products. That meant every recommended item came with a direct link that could easily be added to a shopping cart. Alexa+ also identified bulk-buy opportunities and estimated a total cost of about $219, slightly lower than Gemini's estimate.

The bottom line: AI helps, but don't check out blindly

All three AI assistants helped organize the shopping process and could save parents time. But the test also highlighted a key limitation: AI can make mistakes.

In a follow-up test, Gemini was connected to an Instacart account and directed to shop at a nearby Walmart. That lowered the estimated total by roughly $130, but it also left off several required items, including wired headphones and pens.

The results show AI may be useful for comparing prices and building a shopping list, but parents should still review recommendations carefully before checking out. That advice may become increasingly important as AI becomes more common in the shopping process.

The PwC survey found that 23% of parents specifically plan to use AI to find deals this back-to-school season.

Free backpacks and school supplies available

Families looking for additional help may also want to check out community back-to-school events happening across the Philadelphia region in the coming weeks. You can find a list here.

Many of those events will distribute free backpacks and school supplies. Some require registration in advance.

Looking for help with a consumer issue? Submit your complaint to In Your Corner here.