Just like when navigation devices became prevalent, you got stories on the news of folks driving for 50 miles down a dirt road to nowhere, only then needing to be rescued because the map app led them astray. Heck, I've been parked in front of a Starbucks only to have may "nav app" tell me the closest coffee was miles away. Technology is only as good as those who program it and the data from which it derives its advice or answers. And this has never been more true than with Artificial Intelligence.
Yes, I use AI quite a bit, but just like a flat-earther, I am a professional skeptic. Tell me it's 2026 and I'll ask to see a calendar. It's not paranoia or a complete mistrust of anything, but a healthy dose of a trust-but-verify mentality that is extremely important when working with AI.
And if you go on ChatGPT or Grok or any of them you will see a disclaimer that says something like "sometimes we get it wrong." I have argued with AI when it gives me incorrect answers, and oftentimes get it to spiral further into the dungeon of misinformation.
Here are some tips to get the most out of AI: - Take your exact prompt and cut-and-paste it into different tools. Comparing results is critical, and you will be surprised at the different answers you will get.
- All the AI tools will site sources. Go to those sources and read the data yourself. Sometimes AI will misinterpret data it scrapes from the internet.
- Don't be afraid of free trials to use more advanced models. These models can give much better or thoughtful answers.
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