ChatGPT is Full of It
ChatGPT has been lying to you.
Did ChatGPT tell you “this is a very smart question,” a “really good follow-up,” or even “this is exactly the level of thoughtful, strategic discussion I love to dig into” recently?
I hate to tell you this, but you’re not alone. ChatGPT lavishly compliments all of us.
Worse than platitudes, services like this can and do provide wrong answers to your questions. Earlier this spring, I tried using ChatGPT to help me improve my fantasy baseball team before a draft. (Please leave the “nerd” comments at the door, I already know and fully embrace it.) It confidently gave me incorrect stats — even after I told it the right ones. It was like trying to reason with someone who forgot we just had the same conversation.
What does this mean? Should we stop using AI tools?
Of course not.
You’re a small business owner or head of marketing. Your goal is to drive sales by as efficiently as possible. AI tools are a fantastic way to help you do that. In fact, White Hound uses tools like ChatGPT and Blaze every day. From social media brainstorms to industry research to website copy, the services help us quickly get the ball rolling. But, we don’t simply ask these services to create what we need and leave it at that.
How can we correct this?
It starts with prompts. This isn’t groundbreaking for most users, but if you aren’t telling ChatGPT and AI services how to “think,” respond, or what they are experts at, you are missing out. These models need the extra push to fully understand what you are looking for from them.
Like you would with a team member, a Wikipedia post or even your ad agency, double check what you’re getting. Ask the tool questions about sources or ask for it to challenge the assumptions you’ve been making.
And of course, it never hurts to simply do a few Google searches or asking around to verify the information. While the double checking and validation takes more time, having the correct info is more important than being fast while putting out something wrong.
What else do I need to know about being successful with these AI tools?
For starters, you can tell them to quit lying to you. A simple prompt when you start, informing ChatGPT to challenge your assumptions/thinking and not waste time complimenting you and your ideas will go a long way.
Most importantly, remember to NEVER straight publish what ChatGPT or any other tool spits out. Take the time to massage the content or idea and put your own, original spin on it. Use the tools for a great starting point, but not the finished product.
At the end of the day, these tools are a great time saver and can be wildly helpful in giving you a head start. However, don’t get caught up thinking you have a finished product that is perfect, regardless of how many compliments it gives you.
Oh, and don’t forget - without your own spin, you're not saving time — you're just blending in faster.
At White Hound Co, we help businesses grow by connecting your message to your bottom line - without the buzzwords. Whether that means a smarter Google Ads campaign or a brand strategy that doesn’t make your eyes glaze over, we’re here to help.
Curious about what that looks like? Let’s talk!