The ChatGPT "Year in Review" Is Here, and It’s Basically Your Ultimate Shopping List

It was inevitable, wasn’t it? First, Spotify wrapped our listening habits in neon colors and told us we listened to too much sad indie folk in October. Then every other app on our phones followed suit. Now, ChatGPT has entered the chat—literally.

As we close out 2025, OpenAI is rolling out its own "Year in Review." If you’ve been using the chatbot as a sounding board, a coding assistant, or just a sophisticated Google alternative, you’re about to get a mirror held up to your digital life. The feature serves up stats on your message counts and, most interestingly, generates a pixel art-style image that summarizes the topics you obsessed over this year.

I saw a sample recap recently that featured a pixelated aquarium sitting next to a game cartridge, an Instant Pot, and a computer screen. It wasn’t random; it was a direct reflection of that user’s deep dives into fish tank maintenance, retro gaming, and pressure cooking.

While the internet is busy memeing their results, I’m looking at this differently. As someone who tests products for a living, I see this recap for what it really is: the most honest, data-backed wish list you didn’t know you wrote.

Decoding the Pixel Art

Let's look at that specific example from the research: an aquarium, a game cartridge, and an Instant Pot. That isn’t just a cute image; it’s a map of where that person spent their mental energy.

We often buy gifts (for ourselves and others) based on who we want to be. We buy running shoes because we want to be runners. We buy juicers because we want to be healthy. But your ChatGPT history shows who you actually are. If you spent hours asking an AI how to balance the pH levels in a 50-gallon tank or how to emulate a SNES on a Raspberry Pi, that is where your passion—and your budget—should probably go.

Here is how I would translate those specific ChatGPT insights into actual, worthwhile gear.

The Retro Gaming Rabbit Hole

If your recap features a game cartridge or controller, you’ve probably been hit by the nostalgia wave that defined the tech landscape in 2025. You might have been asking ChatGPT about ROMs or compatibility, but what you really need is hardware that respects the source material.

If you are tired of fiddling with emulators on a PC, look at the Analogue Pocket. It’s not new, but it remains the gold standard for playing actual Game Boy cartridges with a modern, gorgeous screen. It’s expensive, and stock is always a battle, but it turns that digital interest into a premium physical experience.

For the budget-conscious tinkerer who has been asking ChatGPT how to set up Linux-based handhelds, the Anbernic RG35XX series is still the best bang for your buck. It’s cheap enough that you won’t cry if you drop it, but powerful enough to handle the classics.

The "Instant Pot" Chef

Seeing a pressure cooker in your AI recap is a sign. It means you are trying to cook more, but you want efficiency. However, if you already have the Instant Pot (which you likely do, if you’re asking questions about it), you don’t need another appliance. You need upgrades.

This is a classic gifting mistake. Don't buy the hobbyist the thing they already have; buy the thing that makes it better.

For the pressure cooker obsessives, I recommend high-quality silicone steamer baskets or a dedicated glass lid for slow cooking—accessories that Instant Pot usually sells separately. If the chats were more about "how to cook steak perfectly," stop asking the robot and just get the Breville Joule Turbo Sous Vide. It takes the precision ChatGPT describes and puts it in a physical tool that fits in a silverware drawer.

The Aquarium Architect

If your year was defined by fish tank questions, you know that the hobby is 10% enjoying the fish and 90% chemistry management.

If this popped up in my recap, I’d be looking at smart monitoring. The Inkbird Wi-Fi Aquarium Controller isn't the sexiest gift, but for someone stressing over tank temperature while they’re at work, it’s a lifesaver. It bridges the gap between asking an AI "is my water too hot?" and actually knowing the answer.

The "Wait, I Talked About That?" Factor

The most valuable part of this Year in Review feature isn't confirming what you know; it’s reminding you of the projects you abandoned.

Maybe in March, you sent fifty messages asking about "ergonomic office setups" and "lumbar support," but then life got busy, and you’re still sitting on a dining room chair. The recap is a nudge. That back pain didn't go away just because you stopped chatting about it.

If that’s you, it’s time to commit. If you have the budget, the Herman Miller Aeron is still the chair everyone tries to beat and fails. If you can’t drop a grand on a seat, the Branch Verve Chair offers about 80% of the comfort for a fraction of the price. Use the data to close the loop on the problems you tried to solve this year.

A Note on Privacy (And Cringe)

I have to be the skeptic for a second. While these recaps are fun, they are also a reminder that OpenAI is keeping a tally. The generated images are harmless, but they are based on data mining your personal thoughts and questions.

There is also the "cringe factor." Do you really want to share a recap that shows you asked the AI to write a difficult text to your ex, or that you spent three weeks debugging a single line of Python code? Probably not.

Unlike your music taste, your search history is vulnerable. Treat this Year in Review as a personal audit rather than a social media flex. Use it to see where you grew, what you learned, and yes, what products might actually help you in 2026.

The Bottom Line

We are drowning in data, but rarely do we get data that is actionable. The ChatGPT Year in Review is a novelty, sure, but if you look past the pixel art, it’s a directory of your genuine interests.

This holiday season, don’t buy what you think you should like. Look at the recap. If it says you’re obsessed with sourdough, buy the banneton basket. If it says you love sci-fi, buy the book. Trust the data—you wrote it yourself.