In today’s column, I explain how generative AI and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, can be a boon to keeping your Thanksgiving dinner peaceful. This is a worthy topic due to the prevailing media handwringing that due to post-election disagreements, there will be salty dustups at the Thanksgiving table. Turkey might go flying. It could be an ugly sight.
What can a gracious and caring host do to avoid a polarizing food fight and acrid debate?
They can rely on generative AI to be their helpful peacemaker.
Let’s talk about it.
This analysis of an innovative proposition is part of my ongoing Forbes.com column coverage on the latest in AI including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).
The Power Of AI To Keep The Peace
You undoubtedly know that modern-day generative AI can do amazing things, including carrying on fluent conversations and interacting with people on all manner of intensive subjects. I am going to show you how the widely popular ChatGPT can be utilized to soothe souls during Thanksgiving.
If you have access to some other generative AI app such as Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, or Meta Llama, you are welcome to use any of those instead. By and large, the likely results produced or generated by the AI will be about the same. These AI apps are available variously on smartphones, directly as a downloaded app or via their website cousins. Most of them are either free to use or allow you to access free services and then pay a fee to upgrade to more advanced capabilities.
Thankfully, you won’t need any advanced AI to serve as your holiday calming tool. Simple words of peace and tranquility are all that’s required.
There are four key uses of generative AI to keep your family and guests on an even keel:
- (1) Notifications. Aids you in gently notifying attendees beforehand about Thanksgiving serenity.
- (2) Structure. Gives you pointers on structuring the celebration around heartfelt gratitude.
- (3) Announcement. Can draft your pre-dinner announcement that firmly sets the tone.
- (4) Conversations. Provides real-time conversation starters that avoid ruckus trouble.
An additional means of leveraging generative AI would be for you to use the AI on a role-playing basis to practice your diplomacy skills.
This is easy to do. When you get into your generative AI app, merely tell the AI to pretend to be a challenging attendee. You would then try to placate or cope with the AI as it does all the polarizing antics that a person might pull. Think of this as your worst-case scenario for what might happen during Thanksgiving.
Practicing for doomsday could aid in averting it.
Just remember that you are dealing with the AI at that juncture, and thus you can stop the AI from getting heated by command alone. That’s unlikely to translate into doing the same with human guests.
For more on how to best use generative AI and especially lean into valuable prompting strategies, see my coverage at the link here.
Thanksgiving Notifications Via Generative AI
Let’s jump right into the first of the four approaches, namely the use of generative AI to aid in preparing a pre-Thanksgiving notification. I went into ChatGPT and told the AI to give me a message I could send out to all my invited attendees.
- My entered prompt: “Please provide me with a thoughtful pre-Thanksgiving message that I can send to my prospective attendees. I am trying to minimize or even eliminate the chances of polarizing arguments occurring at our Thanksgiving celebration. Thanks for your help.”
- ChatGPT generated response: “Here’s a tactful pre-dinner message you can use. Hi everyone! I’m so excited to host Thanksgiving this year and have us all gathered together. This holiday is a special time to celebrate family, share good food, and reflect on all the things we’re grateful for. To make sure we have the best time possible, I’d love for us to keep the focus on what connects us — our shared stories, laughter, and love for one another. Let’s save any big debates or sensitive topics for another day. Thanksgiving is all about coming together, and I want everyone to leave feeling full (in every way!) and happy.”
You can do the same and add personalization so that the AI will tailor the message to your particular situation. Once you’ve got the message as you like it, go ahead and email or text it to your invites.
To clarify, I’m not suggesting that doing this pre-messaging will completely curtail shenanigans while at Thanksgiving. It is just one of several forms of preparation. With emotions running hot this year, you’ll likely need to use all the approaches that I list here.
Structuring The Thanksgiving Celebration
In this next step, you will want to plan the structure of your Thanksgiving celebration.
If you don’t have any plans or just let things happen, misfortune could be afoot. Keep in mind that idle hands are often taken over by the devil. If you leave a void of what to do, some attendees are bound to fill it with angst and pomposity. It is best to ensure your attendees are focused on goodness and harmony.
- My entered prompt: “I usually let my attendees float around and engage in open dialogue. This year, I am thinking that using structure will aid in directing their attention. This might reduce the chances of tempers flaring. Can you give me some suggestions on how to structure my Thanksgiving celebration?”
- ChatGPT generated response: “You can structure your Thanksgiving celebration around gratitude and shared experiences. Perhaps plan a gratitude circle where everyone shares something they’re thankful for. Or create a lighthearted Thanksgiving trivia game or other fun activities. Use your imagination. If you’d like more ideas, go ahead and let me know.”
I somewhat liked those initial suggestions by the AI, but they weren’t exactly what I had in mind. I continued the conversation and ultimately came up with a few avenues that I am definitely going to employ.
Announcement At The Thanksgiving Dinner Table
Tradition usually involves the host making some heartwarming remarks as the Thanksgiving meal gets underway.
You might want to carefully craft what you plan on saying. If you come right out and tell people not to argue, that might spark arguments. Yes, people are so edgy that just overtly telling them not to argue could get their goat. Boom, you provided the spark.
I sought the assistance of generative AI.
- My entered prompt: “Help! I need to come up with a Thanksgiving announcement that I can use to cover both the thankfulness of the occasion and subtly hint that no arguing is to take place. Please provide me with a draft that I can use.”
- ChatGPT generated response: “As we gather this Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of the power of this table and how it brings together so many unique voices, experiences, and perspectives. It’s a chance to pause, to share not just a meal but also the spirit of gratitude and love. Today, let’s focus on the gifts we bring to each other — the stories, the laughter, and the memories we create when we’re together. Here’s to making this time about connection and the simple joy of being in each other’s company. Happy Thanksgiving!”
I have my fingers crossed that the announcement will help sway people toward peacefulness. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Conversation Starters For Thanksgiving Fodder
Some attendees are likely to blurt out confrontational commentary by a sense of instinct. They might do this solely because they have no other conversation starters in mind. The first thing that pops into their mind could generate a firestorm. To avoid this tribulation, I will aim to provide neutral conversation starters on slips of paper and hand them out to the attendees as they arrive. I’ll make it fun and encourage them to play along.
As such, I asked generative AI to create a slew of innocent Thanksgiving conversation starters.
- My entered prompt: “It would be great if I had a list of conversation starters for my Thanksgiving attendees. Share a few with me and group them by topics, thank you.”
- ChatGPT generated response: “Sure! I list below Thanksgiving conversation starters that are grouped by topic.”
1. Food and Cooking
“What’s the best Thanksgiving dish you’ve ever had? Who made it?”
“If you could add one unusual dish to the Thanksgiving table, what would it be?”
2. Gratitude and Positivity
“What’s one thing you’re grateful for this year?”
“What’s a small act of kindness you’ve received recently that really stayed with you?”
3. Fun and Nostalgia
“What’s your funniest Thanksgiving memory?”
“If you had to pick a new mascot for Thanksgiving other than a turkey, what would it be?”
4. Travel and Experiences
“What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited?”
“If you could host Thanksgiving anywhere in the world, where would it be?”
5. Hypothetical and Creative
“If you could invite any historical figure to Thanksgiving dinner, who would it be and why?”
“If Thanksgiving dinner could talk, what would the turkey/pie/stuffing say?”
The AI Last Resort For Thanksgiving Curmudgeons
I realize that all those approaches can be thwarted by a smarmy killjoy. An attendee can readily twist anything you do into becoming a heated argument. There isn’t much that can be done if someone is pigheaded and insistent on ruining Thanksgiving for everyone involved.
A last resort might be to ask the person to go somewhere that offers solitude at your event and have them argue with generative AI.
Here’s what I mean.
Have the person engage in their heated argument with AI. They can do this until the cows come home. It might allow them to vent their anger. The AI can take it, don’t worry about that. Once they’ve done all their chirping and whirling, they can rejoin the group if they are going to henceforth be peaceful and thankful.
I can’t guarantee that the AI will placate them, but I’d wager it is worth a try. Later, you might want to log into the AI and say thanks for having helped with your Thanksgiving celebration. It isn’t a necessary step for you to take since the AI isn’t sentient and doesn’t grasp the nature of gratitude per se, but you indeed do embrace gratitude and, in your heart, you will know you’ve done the decent thing.
May your Thanksgiving be delightful, peaceful, and wonderful.
