What Not To Share With ChatGPT
With AI technology advancements, most of the time, you can get a clear-cut answer to your question in seconds, because ChatGPT does the research for you. ChatGPT scans and reads all the available information on the web, compiling it into an easy-to-read answer for you. However, are you asking ChatGPT too much?
ChatGPT Has Limits
Ultimately, ChatGPT can only provide responses based on the information available. It does not have access to real-time or personal data unless explicitly told during the chat conversation. (Or, you can give ChatGPT access to your browsing history using plugins.)
In addition, ChatGPT is only an AI tool. It can help make human decisions where you need more context and an understanding of why humans do what they do. Sometimes, the best answer is best served talking to a friend who can empathize with what you are going through versus a trained, unemotional AI. It can also assist with random “coin flip” dilemmas.
Lastly, sometimes ChatGPT is simply wrong. It can provide incorrect answers or answers that don’t make sense if you don’t check the sources it is pulling from. The goal of ChatGPT is to provide an answer almost every time, so sometimes it pulls from the only sources available which may not be fact-checked. It also depends on the prompt you give. If the prompt isn’t written clearly, ChatGPT may be confused as to what you are asking and provide the closest answer that makes sense to the AI engine.
Keep Your Information
ChatGPT is not an infallible data vault that can keep all your information safe. While it is easy to ask every question at the top of your mind, whatever you tell ChatGPT has the potential to be leaked or stored for future use, like training future AI engines. Whatever you ask any AI engine, including MetaAI, SnapchatAI, Gemini, CoPilot, etc., please make sure you do the following.
1. Avoid Using Personal Information
Once you share your prompt with a chatbot, the information is stored to be used later to continue training future AI endeavors. Keeping this information available leaves it vulnerable to potential data breaches. If a hacker breaches this information, they can use what was submitted to a chatbot to identify you. The best rule of thumb is to avoid using personal information, such as:
- First and last name
- Address
- Birthday
- Social Security number
- Usernames and passwords
2. Avoid Giving Financial Information
Keep your personal finance inquiries away from ChatGPT. If you have questions about your finances and accounts, contact your local financial institution. Having a conversation with a chatbot about your finances will leave you vulnerable to potential hackers, but also won’t have the full picture. Financial decisions need a human touch to understand the bigger picture. For example, it may not look like you have the capital to start your own business, but a credit union with business experts may be able to help with the right loan tailored to your needs. ChatGPT will not be able to deduce and see all the options available to you in this instance.
3. Don’t Share Company Secrets
Next time you ask ChatGPT to rewrite an email for your company, think again. There have been instances when ChatGPT has been asked to work on a company project, like updating internal business practices, writing up minutes from a meeting, etc. and this information is then leaked since ChatGPT does not securely store this information.
The last thing you need is the AI tool you rely on to share company secrets on your behalf. It could cost you your job in the long run.
4. Don’t Trust Health Advice
Don’t trust everything you read on the internet, especially when it comes to medical and health advice. MedMD is an example of how quickly someone can type in some basic symptoms and spiral down the rabbit hole to self-diagnose a more serious condition. ChatGPT can do the same since it pulls the same information to make its conclusion. If you need health or medical advice, it’s best to see a doctor.
It’s Not All Bad
There are still plenty of uses for ChatGPT that can help with everyday tasks, like creating shopping lists, finding new reciepes to refresh your palate, learning new things, etc. A good rule of thumb is to remember that ChatGPT is tool. ChatGPT isn’t all-knowing. It’s a technology that is continuing to grow but isn’t ready for hard-hitting questions. Be mindful of what you share and keep your information secure.