Generative AI bots such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion are valuable tools that offer assistance in various day-to-day tasks. Many individuals have already discovered that utilizing them can effectively enhance efficiency, productivity, and creativity.
However, it is becoming increasingly evident that there exist correct and incorrect approaches to their usage. Carelessness can lead to the development of detrimental habits that may escalate into significant issues.
Therefore, a concise compilation of 7 ChatGPT mistakes. Awareness of these risks should facilitate their avoidance and the formation of a correct request.
ChatGPT Mistakes You’re Making and How to Avoid Them
#1 Chatbot is always right
Unfortunately, playing around with ChatGPT for a short time reveals that it is far from being an all-knowing robot overlord. At times, it can be a bit dim.
The model has a tendency to hallucinate, which is a term borrowed from human psychology to make its errors more relatable. Essentially, it means that it makes things up, gets things wrong, and sometimes does so with confidence, which can be comical.
It is important to note that ChatGPT is constantly being updated, and improvements can be expected. However, it currently has a particular propensity to create non-existent citations or cite inaccurately.
The key lesson is for individuals to prioritize fact-checking and verification when relying on information from the internet. With an abundance of misinformation already present, it is crucial to avoid contributing to it.
This is particularly important when creating business content, where the implementation of rigorous editing and reviewing processes is essential for all published material.
It is vital to remember that this principle applies not only to content created by humans but also to those generated by AI. Placing excessive trust in AI capabilities can easily result in errors that may have embarrassing outcomes and potentially harm one’s reputation.
#2 You’re giving up too soon
People often become frustrated with ChatGPT after only a few attempts, but it is important to remember that prompt engineering is an art that requires practice. If the desired results are not achieved, one should not assume that the task is impossible.
Instead, they should consider rephrasing the prompt, simplifying the language, or providing additional context to guide ChatGPT’s response. The impact of a seemingly minor modification to the prompt on the quality of generated content can be surprising.
If one is stuck, one can often find helpful, unique ChatGPT prompts used by others and tailor them to their own needs.
#3 Forgetting about privacy
When working with cloud-based AI engines such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2, there is no expectation of privacy. OpenAI, the creator of these specific tools, is transparent about this in its terms of use. It is noteworthy that the privacy policy of OpenAI has been criticized for being “flimsy.”
All interactions, including the input of data and the output it generates, are considered fair game for the system to ingest, store, and learn from. For instance, Microsoft has acknowledged that conversations between Bing and its users are monitored and read.
This necessitates caution when entering personal and sensitive information. This also applies to content such as business strategies, client communications, or internal company documents.
There is no guarantee that they will not be exposed. An early public version of ChatGPT-powered Bing was developed by Microsoft.
If you want to protect your privacy, you need VeePN or another high-level VPN. By the way, it will also come in handy if you get the error “ChatGPT is at capacity right now” and you can’t do anything. The secret is to change your IP address and you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the chatbot again.
#4 You didn’t provide context
When one crafts a prompt, it is advised to provide ample information to ChatGPT, leading to better responses. This entails offering background details, specific examples, or stylistic preferences, in order to equip ChatGPT with the necessary tools to customize its responses. The end result is a more tailored experience that meets one’s specific needs.
#5 Loss of humanity
Generative AI tools facilitate the automation of various business and communication aspects, including emails, social messaging, and content creation. However, these tools may pose challenges in expressing nuances and hindering empathy and relationship-building.
It is crucial to bear in mind that the purpose of employing AI is to enhance our human capabilities by freeing up time spent on repetitive and mundane tasks.
This enables us to focus on what distinguishes us as human beings: interpersonal relationships, creativity, innovative thinking, and enjoyment. Automating these aspects of our lives may lead to undesirable outcomes.
#6 You mix your topics or tasks
Users often approach ChatGPT with various tasks on hand, such as drafting emails or brainstorming dinner ideas for the week.
While it may be tempting to address all these tasks in a single conversation, doing so can potentially decrease the quality of the generated results. It is advised to maintain separate sessions for each topic, as ChatGPT retains context from previous prompts.
This approach not only helps maintain focus but also facilitates better organization of generated content, as it is already categorized into distinct topics.
#7 You’ve taken your session too long
When the user first started using ChatGPT, they found themselves caught in lengthy sessions, partly due to being new to chat-based prompting and not achieving the desired output. The user’s beginner-level prompting caused more problems than anticipated.
Eventually, ChatGPT would forget previous information provided, requiring the user to re-insert it into the prompt, resulting in worsening results. Instead, it would have been better for the user to restart the conversation when things became unclear.
Focusing on one aspect of the project at a time and starting a new session when things get lengthy or when necessary is recommended.
Conclusion
ChatGPT is a powerful tool for generating content with AI, but it is important to remember the key points listed above.
By following these guidelines and ensuring that one has all of the necessary information upfront, users can maximize the effectiveness of their ChatGPT session. With practice and patience, ChatGPT can be an invaluable asset in creating engaging content quickly and efficiently.
